Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

I want to raise the important issue of Safe Ireland and domestic violence, to which a previous speaker referred. I also want to ask the Acting Leader to ask the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Penrose, to contact NAMA. We have heard from Safe Ireland that refuges are full to capacity and 3,000 people have been turned away. In addition, people in many areas cannot access refuges as they do not exist. At the same time, there are many buildings, including houses, which would be suitable and people would be much better served by NAMA releasing some of these.

Volunteer Ireland does great work. There are many volunteers who could work in conjunction with the Minister of State and NAMA to ensure those buildings are put on stream rather than the current proposal from NAMA, which is to reduce equity by 25% and thereby distort and do a disservice to the housing market. We saw the previous interference in housing by Governments and State agencies which totally distorted the market. NAMA would serve the people of Ireland better in this way, in particular the women and the 2,500 children who are in refuges at various times.

We are talking about regard for children and children's rights. There are many women who cannot get out of their houses because many men are now at home through unemployment and the women cannot even access the telephone. There needs to be an increase in the number of telephone calls dealt with by Safe Ireland. Men should not think I am speaking only for women as I am talking about all violence in the home. This issue should be addressed.

There was a question regarding an amendment to the Order of Business. We need straight access to the Minister for Justice and Law Reform and I am not sure changing the Order of Business is the way to achieve this. The Minister must listen to the Seanad and the people who have spoken for the children and the women of Ireland as well as for the men of Ireland who are suffering violence. I congratulate Safe Ireland, which is doing that work. It should be helped in any way possible. The Acting Leader should ask the Minister of State, Deputy Penrose, to contact NAMA with regard to the buildings it controls, which should be put to good use given the people who need shelter. As I said, many people would be willing to volunteer to help the situation, as they are doing at present.