Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

In 2006, 67 housing mortgage suits came before the High Court and to date in 2007 there have been more than 80, with 200 cases listed. That is a stark warning that should be heeded by all Senators, Deputies and anyone interested in the way our people attempt to house themselves. Some weeks ago the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, said that those who raised this concern were prophets of doom. In recent years the Government encouraged an over-reliance on the housing sector and was happy to collect the many taxes generated through the housing sector but we must ensure the balance is addressed in this regard. I ask that either the Minister for Finance or the Minister of State with responsibility for housing come to the House to outline their plan B now that matters are taking a turn. We now see who the true prophets of doom are when the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister for Finance have to rearrange the books as we face into the next budget. As public representatives we are entitled to raise the genuine concerns among our constituents, and I ask that this issue be debated.

I was surprised to hear the Green Party's Senator de Búrca call for a debate on wind farm policy. We would welcome that debate. She said we are buying too many carbon credits in an attempt to buy our way out of our Kyoto protocol obligations but the Green Party is in Government. Why are its members calling for a debate on something over which they have control? They agreed the programme for Government with Fianna Fáil. They should make the necessary changes to ensure a better wind farm policy. Why must we have a further debate on it?