Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I refer to the issues raised by Senator Norris. No. 14 on the Order Paper is Statements on the Lisbon Treaty, which can be resumed. Many issues have arisen and it would be useful in the context of the campaign to have them clarified in the House by Ministers. That would serve a good purpose and I ask the Leader to consider that. Many different stories have been put out by the "No" campaign and it would be right to refute them in the House. A report will be issued by the Joint Committee on European Affairs on its activities at outreach meetings about the treaty around the country and the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny will also issue a report on the new procedures that will result from agreement to the treaty on 12 June. The two reports will be launched this weekend and I ask the Leader to consider including them in the debate on the Lisbon treaty.

Will the Leader bring to the attention of the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with responsibility for housing and urban development, Deputy Michael Finneran, the case of Fingal County Council, which paid €5.4 million to seven people to settle squatters' rights claims where individuals have spent 12 years or more on a particular property? Local authorities should have a database of all the properties under their control. When I was chairman of the Western Health Board, I arranged for all its properties to be assessed and put on a database to ensure continuity. A significant number of retired officials are aware of properties in the ownership of local authorities or the HSE, which sometimes are the subject of squatters' rights claims. Such a database would be in our interests and in the interests of the State. The sum of €5.4 million could build a few houses for people in need and could do a lot to assist in other projects in the health service. In one case, the former Western Health Board did not know who owned the property in question. This is a fine property in County Roscommon that is the subject of a squatters' right claim if they wish to pursue it in that regard. I ask the Leader to arrange for the appropriate Ministers to come to the House for a discussion. Our State assets should be protected and there is a certain carelessness which was evident from the situation pertaining to Fingal County Council and the site at Dunsink Lane.