Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support the request by Senator Jimmy Harte for a debate on social housing. That is basically what was requested. There are tens of thousands of people on housing lists and thousands of vacant properties across the country. The rental accommodation scheme, RAS scheme, which is useful, appears to be underfunded. The rental allowance scheme is being abused in many cases. The Minister must attend the House and attempt to devise a solution to house the people of this country given that tens of thousands urgently need housing. It should not be beyond the bounds of possibility that we can resolve the problem.

I wish to comment briefly on the debate on the recognition of the state of Palestine. Most people seem to have a simplistic view on the intricate situation in the Middle East. It is politically popular and correct not just in the House but outside it to wear the Palestinian hat but there is another side to the equation, namely, Israel. I am not surprised that the case for Israel is not stated clearly in this House because both in the Oireachtas and historically in this country we chose to see no evil and hear no evil when the Jewish people were being sent to the gas chambers and concentration camps. I do not hear much about the fact that almost on a daily basis missiles are sent to Israel and people are killed. I hear little objection to the fact that one state has an avowed aim to wipe the state of Israel off the map. That is the policy of the state of Iran.