John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

My good friend, Senator Cullinane, is in great form this morning. If we asked Maíria Cahill to comment on the Senator's suggestion that Sinn Féin is interested in fair and equal treatment for people, we might find that she does not fully agree with it. If we asked the families of young Paul Quinn or of many of the disappeared, we might find they do not agree that they have been treated fairly or equally by Sinn Féin. That is not the reason I rise today. I could not allow Senator Cullinane's remarks to pass without comment.

When will we have a debate on homelessness? Has the Leader pencilled in a date for such a debate? The Members of this House would like to comment on it. I would like to point out to the House, in the context of the political debate on homelessness, that when it was recently proposed to build nine two-bedroom social housing units in Balrothery aimed at elderly people and perhaps those with disabilities as well, the great heroes of the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the People before Profit councillors in the Balrothery area voted against it. Members of those parties and Sinn Féin are often heard shouting and roaring about the fair and equal treatment of people in society. When does the Leader propose that we will have a full debate on homelessness?