Aideen Hayden (Labour)

I join others in expressing my deep sympathy to the parents of the Norwegian children who died in such tragic circumstances in recent days. The idea that a gunman can walk up to a child on the beach and shoot him or her at point blank range is horrific to any right-thinking person. Various newspaper reports have indicated that it took the Norwegian authorities up to 90 minutes to launch a successful counter attack. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Defence what provisions are in place in this State to enable a rapid response in the event of a similar attack? In the modern world we must be all conscious of the existence of extremists of every hue who are determined to undermine democracy. We must have confidence that we are equipped and able to respond in an appropriate way.

Will the Leader invite the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Willie Penrose, to the House early in the next session for a debate on social housing? I am concerned by certain recently introduced statutory instruments governing the allocation of social housing in terms of their implications for tenants participating in the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. Under that scheme, people are accommodated under long-term rental arrangements which are secured by local authorities. An interpretation has been put forward that the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 makes appropriate allocation for people under the RAS and, as such, they are no longer eligible for inclusion on the social housing waiting list. As somebody who negotiated the RAS in 2004 and 2005, I am aware that a commitment - what I would describe as a legal commitment - was given to those persons on the housing waiting list who availed of RAS accommodation that they would continue to be included on the list. This matter must be clarified. It has engendered widespread panic in the community.