Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

The Department has been trying to achieve the desired goal by agreement with the stakeholders. If a legislative approach were to be adopted, it would not be as a housing Bill, but under a Bill dealing with contracts, which would come under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

The Government is concerned to ensure that house purchasers are not disadvantaged by any practices that might make it more difficult or expensive to access a home. I am conscious of concerns that the practice of stage payments may be contrary to the interests of housebuyers——