Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

At a time when there is much pressure on the public finances and on the finances of local authorities, in the latter regard it is true to say that there will be great pressure on the provision of social housing in view of the fact that many people will not be able to provide their own homes. However, there is strong evidence, not merely currently but over a long period of years, to suggest there are people who have the benefit of first-class excellently-finished local authority houses who go on to wreck them. In am aware of a case where an individual and his family got, not one house or two, but four different houses and proceeded to wreck each one of them. I understand that in at least one local authority, on which a Member of this House served, there is a training programme to teach tenants of local authority houses how to manage the facility and to treat it with appropriate respect. I ask that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, come into this House for a debate on this matter.

I strongly support the comments of all colleagues who spoke about the suggestion that social welfare should be reduced for those who must live on it as a necessity. Social welfare was not invented merely for the fun of it. It was brought in to give an income to people who otherwise do not have one. There are many people benefiting from it who do not want to be on social welfare but, regrettably, there are also many abuses of social welfare. The Minister, Deputy Hanafin, is focussed and fair. If there is to be any focus on social welfare, it should be on eliminating social welfare abuse.

In the past I raised in the House the question of illegal fishing — the destocking of our lakes, rivers and canals. I regret to say, following a conversation with another colleague from the midlands, that this is still going on. I do not apologise for saying — the truth is the truth — it is carried out in the main by people who have come to this country such as those on a work permit. They are non-nationals. It is the truth. It may shame but it cannot be blamed. I want something done about it. I want the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, to come to this House to debate this and outline his proposals on how this practice will be eliminated. Counties Westmeath, Cavan and Longford depend heavily on tourism. Even course fishing brings in many tourists. This practice of illegal fishing must be stamped out once and for all.