Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I wish to briefly raise two issues. I ask the Leader to stimulate a debate on an environmental issue concerning the serviced sites initiative, an important measure introduced by local authorities. A problem in this area arose in the past and was partly resolved by local authorities providing serviced sites to young people, sometimes at approximately 10% of their market value, a wonderful initiative which works very well. Local authorities demand a first priority charge on the title but it frequently arises that banks refuse to accept a second charge, which creates an impasse. This matter is primarily one for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and perhaps the Minister for the Finance. This practice is ridiculous. I know of a young couple who obtained a serviced site, on which they secured planning permission after a struggle and now at the last hurdle they find the banks are not prepared to play second fiddle. The local authority wants a first priority charge on the site because it sold the site with all the services——