Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

The Leader is considering whether the Seanad should sit next week. I reiterate the request I made yesterday that the Seanad sit and deal with Committee Stage of the Bills relating to multi-unit developments and the property regulation authority. Thousands of families in Dublin and its commuter belt are feeling the impact of the lack of regulation in this area. Their payments to management companies are often excessive and are often levied without consideration for the actual fees involved and the expenditure incurred. We have been promised action on this for the last number of years. The Second Stage debates on these Bills took place four or five months ago and their passage is being delayed by this House, not the Lower House. I ask that we take Committee Stage of those Bills next week.

I have been asked to raise in the House the European inter-regional programme which affects counties Louth, Meath and Monaghan and counties north of the Border. It is a programme of funding for local organisations in the cross-Border region. The organisations are three years into the programme but still have not received approval from the Minister to spend any funds. In these difficult times money from Europe for this programme could be put to great use in the local economies of the towns and villages in the area. The committee in charge of the programme is seeking a meeting with the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to find out why there is a delay in the approval of funds. Will the Leader use his good offices to ask the Minister to meet representatives from the committee as soon as possible so this funding can be released to local organisations?