Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I wish to raise the increase in gas prices, which came into effect at the weekend. They will rise by 34%, despite a drop in gas prices on the international market. The Labour Party will support the calls of the National Consumer Agency for Bord Gáis to submit to the energy regulator new proposals for gas prices. This follows other increases with which ordinary people have had to deal in recent years, for example, electricity prices, waste charges, household bills and so on. It puts pressure on people who do not have somebody to organise a whip-round when they are in financial trouble. Members on both sides of this House deal with people who are in dire poverty and must fight for every penny they get. This is an added burden on them and the increases in gas and electricity allowances announced recently by the Taoiseach do not go far enough to help those who qualify for those allowances, not to speak of those who do not. I would like that issue to be debated in the House.

I would like a debate on housing as well. Today a young woman called me. She was in tears because she has been on the housing list for eight years and is living in intolerable conditions such as one would expect to see in a Third World country, not in Ireland. It is necessary to address the housing issue which I have raised numerous times here. A few years ago we asked a cross-party committee to examine the issue and property prices as well. The committee made several recommendations which have not been implemented. House prices continue to rise unabated although houses are supposedly being delivered to meet the demand.