Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The issue of housing stock must be addressed. Some weeks ago I asked the Leader about this after the OECD issued another frightening report that our housing stock is overvalued by between 15% and 20%. My concern is that since 1998 at least 500,000 houses have been built with cavity blocks to a lower level of insulation than will be required by the European directive of 6 January 2006. When these houses come on the market in the future, young couples who have struggled to put the pennies together, with the help of their parents and extended families, to buy houses will lose out by paying that 15% or 20%. I do not know why that is happening. I have raised the issue before. Too many people are saying our housing stock is overvalued and somebody will be right at some stage.

Last week we saw another example of the Department of Education and Science hounding a family that sought the best for its autistic child, sought help from the Department, said the child was not being looked after properly, lost its case in the High Court and, with few resources, took on the State again and finally won in the Supreme Court. Why? Does somebody think parents already trying to deal with autism would go to the Supreme Court, risking everything they own, if they did not feel they had a real case? This is no way to handle it. I am sick and tired of the State pursuing individuals on these issues. I would like a discussion on that.

It is the same attitude, but on a different level, that sees the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin demanding money back from the teachers who last week stood with the rest of the country on a point of principle about Ireland moving in the wrong direction on the day of action for Irish Ferries. She will never get that money but that she says she will reflects a particular attitude.

The House is aware that I opposed the Burren Action Group. I was in favour of the interpretative centre being built in the Burren and I spoke many times on it and lost many votes as a result because the people who vote for me tend to be soft on those kinds of issues. The Burren Action Group brought the Government to the Supreme Court, won an important case and established important points. I did not like or support those points but it is wrong that the group be pursued for the money for taking that case. It did us a service even if we did not like it.

Would the Leader consider having a debate in the new year on Gaelige? I suggest we consult the Commissioner of Languages, Mr. Seán Ó Cuirreáin, a progressive-minded person. He is reported today as having approached the Údarás. He will argue his case but he is open and practical and we could do worse than have a debate on the future of the Irish language, how it is used in the House, how it could be used more in the community and the impact of the Official Languages Bill.