Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I am assuming, as I always do, the Cathaoirleach's support in that matter.

There has been considerable debate in recent times about the failure of the Government to provide proper social housing. There has been a succession of promised initiatives and figures, none of which have been achieved, even given the increase in the number of households on waiting lists and the number of young people who have given up the idea of ever owning their own home.

At some stage I want the House to have a debate on social housing and the failure of the Government to make provision for it. The debate could also deal with the issue of the homeless, which was raised in the usual token fashion before Christmas but which needs to be discussed as part of the failure to provide social housing.

I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange a debate on the contents of the most recent report of the parole board. The board makes recommendations about how people with sentences of eight years or longer are dealt with. It does not make decisions; it makes recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Minister then decides whether to implement those recommendations and over the past three or four years he implemented between 80% and 90% of them.

Given that somebody is being blamed for people being released from prison early when they are given a life sentence, it would be interesting to hear from the Minister why, on the one hand, he is making speeches, as is the Taoiseach, about a life sentence meaning life and, on the other, he is implementing recommendations which allow people to be released after seven, eight or nine years, which I happen to believe is not always a bad decision. Nevertheless, I want to know the Minister's position. Could we have a debate on the report of the parole board as a matter of urgency?

In connection with what Senator Finucane stated, in many Scandinavian countries the driver of a car in a housing estate is responsible for the safety of the children there. The result is that people tend to drive in housing estates at approximately 15, 20 or 30 km/h because they know that if a child runs out, it is their responsibility. We could consider introducing such a measure in this country and it would have a salutary effect on our drivers.