Brendan Ryan (Labour)

The supply of building land presents a problem, but, yet again, it is the supporters of Fianna Fáil who are sitting on it. They hope to get rid of the present appalling provision, as they see it, for social and affordable housing in order that they can maximise their returns from land they will not now sell to provide housing for those who desperately need it. There is a solution to which Senator O'Toole referred. The landowners concerned should be given the choice of selling the land or having it acquired at current use value. This could be done, but Fianna Fáil will not do it because its friends own the land.