Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I ask the Acting Leader to organise a debate urgently on head shops. This issue was brought to my attention in my midlands constituency in recent days. A young man went into a so-called head shop, bought herbal cigarettes and ended up in hospital in intensive care. The young man in question was 17 years of age and had never been in trouble in his life. He neither drank alcohol nor smoked ordinary cigarettes and was a fit person but he ended up in a psychotic state.

I have done some research and have spoken to local gardaí and these head shops are all legal and above board. To my mind this is an outrage. In a newspaper yesterday the Minister spoke of the increased number of heroin addicts. These so-called head shops sell all sorts of devices that help people smoke heroin. One can buy seeds, drugs and drug related devices there and I have been told they are "legal".

What sort of message are we sending to young people if we allow such shops to trade on high streets all over the country? I am aware that a similar shop in Galway has been closed. I ask the Minister to come before us, as Members of the Upper House of the Oireachtas, to tell us what he proposes to do and the legislation he intends to draft urgently to close these dreadful shops once and for all.

With the Cathaoirleach's indulgence, the second issue I wish to raise relates to affordable housing, though I know there will be a debate on housing later. It is necessary that councils are able to renegotiate with developers considering the glut of vacant houses, amounting to thousands. There is a considerable number on the housing list. On behalf of councils, the Minister should renegotiate ways in which they can buy the houses at a cheaper price than they could normally do. This would constitute a payback by developers given the amount of money made by them in recent years. It would reduce the number on housing waiting lists throughout the country.