Brendan Ryan (Labour)

This issue would benefit from a long debate but I accept we must move on. I will address a couple of matters the Minister mentioned. I do not disagree with much of what he said because we have created disasters in the past and there is a great need to put them right. Appallingly bad management decisions have been taken to demolish buildings, such as St. Michael's estate, which were perfect from a structural point of view and where the heating actually worked, unlike many other local authority housing schemes. Some people were moving into local authority houses with a smaller floor space than the apartments they had in St. Michael's estate. The solution is good planning.

The Minister referred to people who were dependent on the State but such people exist because we live in a compassionate society which supports the vulnerable. I do not like the idea of a special rule for certain people because, for example, old and retired people are dependent on the State, as are people in receipt of child benefit to pay for expenses such as child care. People whose children go to a State primary school are dependent on the State, as are those who send their children to secondary school, even fee-paying schools. If the case is valid for a regeneration area it is overwhelmingly so for schools. Why should a school be full of people from rent supplement families?

This policy was decided on because too many people in Ballymun were in receipt of rent supplement. One solution would be to restrict the purchase of properties in the area to owner-occupiers. It would probably reduce prices and increase the usefulness of the properties, as well as dramatically reducing the number of people on rent supplement. If, however, we allow people who experience the joys of letting property with guaranteed rent supplement payments carte blanche to buy property in these areas we will get exactly what the Minister is trying to avoid. Real regeneration involves permanently rooting young people in an area by allowing them to buy houses in order that they can become the backbone of the community. This provision will mean people on slightly higher incomes will rent and pass through the area with no more, and possibly less, commitment to the community than people on rent allowance. Populating the area with young people such as students attending DCU will not regenerate the community, notwithstanding the fact that it might regenerate the area. Incidentally, I do not care whether my party said anything about this. It has not been my style to be bothered by that. If the party did not say anything, it is a pity but many things are missed and I almost missed this as well. It is profoundly wrong.

Would the Minister table a minor amendment to provide that this be reviewed and a report made to the Oireachtas in 12 months or two years?