Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

Over the last 24 hours, we have heard about the dig-out and the whip-around. Last night, on my way from this renowned building to the place I stay, which is just across the road, I encountered four people sleeping in doorways. I thought about how serious it was and wondered how the Members of this distinguished House could continue to turn a blind eye to the homeless. The homeless are the people to whom we should give a dig-out and for whom we should have a whip-around. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister with responsibility for housing matters to have a debate on social and affordable housing, the policies on which are not working. Local authorities are being forced away from building programmes, which is just one of many issues in this area I would like to debate.