Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support colleagues who have called for an urgent statement from the Minister for Education and Skills on language schools. It is obvious that there is serious criminality involved. Ireland's image is certainly being badly besmirched abroad. The issue must be addressed. It is probably also one for the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald.

It is welcome that the Minister for Defence, Deputy Simon Coveney, has confirmed that the LE Eithnewill sail later this week to the Mediterranean to assist in the rescue mission for those unfortunate people trying to escape from Africa. There is no doubt that the numbers coming to Europe now pose major logistical problems for many countries. As such, it would be appropriate to have a debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Government's intentions and attitude towards our efforts to alleviate the problems many countries will encounter as a result of the number of refugees coming to Europe.

I welcome as a start the €312 million announced by the Minister the Environment, Communications and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to fund a housing programme to address the major housing criris. In my county of Galway €9 million will be spent on providing ten houses in Athenry, 30 in Ballinalsoe, 25 in Tuam and six rural houses elsewhere. It is only a start but a welcome one nevertheless.I agree with colleagues about the urgent need to address the issue of vacant local authority houses. It is unacceptable that houses which become vacant and need some repairs are left for long periods of time not just in Dublin but throughout the country, including in County Galway. The issue of rent allowance must be addressed and it is hoped the Minister for Social Protection will make some comments about that soon. I would like to see a situation where when homes are repossessed, the Government could intervene and get some of them converted into social houses so that the person being evicted could continue to occupy them. This would certainly be one way of ensuring that the numbers on the housing list do not continue to grow. At the pace of investment we see, it will be many years before the homelessness crisis in this country is addressed in a meaningful manner.