Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

There is a glaring omission from today's Order of Business. Last week, I and other colleagues in the Opposition called for a pre-budget debate in the Chamber in which we could have a proper meaningful discussion. At the time I was grateful because the Leader acceded to the request and stated that he would arrange for the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, to come to the House today for an hour and a half, which would not have been sufficient but would have been a start. When the Order Paper for today was circulated last Thursday I noticed the matter was missing from it. I am very disappointed and will move an amendment to the Order of Business that we have a meaningful pre-budget debate and discussion in the House today, as was agreed by the House last week. I will wait to hear the Leader's response to see whether we will push that amendment.

My colleague, Senator Averil Power moved an amendment on the Order of Business last week concerning the residents of Priory Hall. Yesterday, those residents should have been back in their homes but despite the schedule of works agreed with Dublin City Council and the errant developer, they are still out of their homes. It greatly concerns me that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, has not seen fit to meet these residents. This issue is not specific to Priory Hall. There are many other such apartment blocks, as was borne out yesterday by the general secretary of the national firefighters and paramedics union. The fire service reckons that about 10% of apartments across this country do not meet fire regulatory standards. Only four weeks ago in Swords, close to my own area, we had a issue whereby fire doors were not operational in a building. I ask the Leader to contact the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to meet a delegation of Priory Hall residents. That is the very least he should do as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

When does the Government propose to fill the vacancy left following the resignation of the former Minister of State, Deputy Willie Penrose? Most of us agree that the portfolio for housing and homelessness is a very important one. It concerns me greatly that over the past two weeks since the Minister of State resigned on 16 November, there has been no one at the Cabinet table fighting for the 5,000 plus homeless people in this country.