Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I too welcome the talks in Northern Ireland between the British Prime Minister, the American President and the Taoiseach about the peace process in the North. It is important to remember that this is happening in the context of the war in Iraq. The Taoiseach must make clear Ireland's disapproval of the war and dissociate us from any question of approval of the illegal actions of the UK and the American Government in respect of this war.

Will the Leader request the Taoiseach to come before the House to explain his intentions to refer the issue of the price of building land to the Joint Committee on the Constitution? I am a member of that committee and we were already discussing the whole issue of property rights and the Constitution. The issue has been discussed many times by the Joint Committee on the Constitution.

The Government should know at this stage the story about property rights and the Constitution. It has already had a Bill referred to the Supreme Court in relation to the legislation dealing with affordable housing. It is time the Government stopped announcing, referring and discussing this issue and carried out some action in relation to the housing problem.