Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Members for their contributions during the passage of the Bill through the House and for the warm welcome afforded to me on my return to the Seanad as a Minister of State. This has been a good, worthwhile debate and there were worthwhile and vigorous contributions from all sides. While there is seldom complete agreement on any issue before the House, it would not be a misrepresentation to say there was a good, broad welcome for the provisions of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008.

The Bill is an important milestone in the development of housing policy. It provides a more strategic approach to the delivery and management of the housing service plans and anti-social behaviour strategies. It establishes a new, more effective and comprehensive basis for assessing need and allocating housing. The introduction of an incremental purchase scheme aimed at helping people to become house owners is innovative. The policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities set out a vision to guide the transformation of the housing sector over the medium term by delivering more and better quality housing responses and by doing so in a more strategic way that focused on the building of sustainable communities. The Bill is a crucial element to the practical implementation of that agenda. I look forward to returning to the House with the provisions that I signalled are being developed, which I hope to introduce in the Dáil. I wish the Acting Chairman, Members and staff of the House a peaceful and happy Christmas.