Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

The Minister of State must deliver. I accept he cannot do it by himself but he must lead people. We are talking about people. This is about sustainable communities. If people mean anything to us, we should build vibrant communities, urban and rural, in Leitrim, Cork or wherever.

As we speak, people are living in terrible, unfinished estates. Many of them are in negative equity, struggling with mortgage repayments and trying to pay the bills. I met a couple last weekend, one of whom had lost their job and the other of whom was on reduced hours. They had a new baby on the way. They were told that the underpinning of the apartment complex is dangerous and that they have to move out. They spent their life savings on their home. The Minister of State is absolutely correct. We built apartments in this country that were like box rooms. They were terrible. There was no backup infrastructure.

I concur with the point made by Senator Ryan that residents should be on the committee. Let us give ordinary citizens a chance to express their views. They might rant and rave but they have are legitimately entitled to do that. They would bring to the table a different perspective as they have experience many people in academia or Government do not have.

The mayor of County Cork, Councillor Jim Daly, referred to the bond issue. I do not have time to go into it in detail but he is correct that every effort should be made to assist local authorities to call in the bonds put in place by developers to bring about incremental changes. I accept there is no magic wand and that we must allow due process in terms of the report and surveys, but people expect and want action. I do not fly a flag for the person who has bought three or four houses who was trying to make money. I speak for the ordinary person who has invested his or her life savings. We must look after such people. I hope the Government side withdraws its amendment because the motion before us is about people and creating communities, something on which the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, and I agree. I appeal to the Members on the Government side to withdraw the amendment and to support the motion which does not try to condemn the Government but tries to bring about action.