Brendan Ryan (Labour)

No, it is not. I know a good deal about what happens in housing. The Minister has been a thoughtful and imaginative one in this portfolio and he has tried to work the pensions issue with some imagination. I hope he does not give in to the business lobbies which are trying to send him off on a track that would make them a lot of money and not do much for our pensions.

It is profoundly mistaken to believe any other statement is being made here, other than if one wants to regenerate an area, whether it be classified or otherwise, one should try to find a way of keeping the grotties out. The Government has said that is the way to develop social integration. One will not achieve social integration in an area if one has nobody there who is poor. This works both ways. One will then have schools in those areas which will not have anybody who is poor. The same would be true for the health service and other services. There will be delightful Irish versions of US gated cities. We will not have the physical gate, we will have a financial one preventing people from living in a certain area because individuals on rent supplement are not welcome.

I appeal to the Minister to re-examine this proposal and to think about what is being said. It is written in technocratic language but what is actually being said is we do not want the poor here.