Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the passing of Committee Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill last night and I thank all sides of the House for their general broad support for the measures it contained, especially in rent regulation and the introduction of the deposit protection scheme. I also note the number of contributions during that debate which emphasised the need to expedite housing supply. The Leader has indicated that he would be happy to have a debate on that subject and on the wider subject of access to home ownership. Some of the measures proposed by Senator Barrett in his own Private Member's Bill are also worthy of consideration regarding access to finance for home ownership, specifically for low-income households.

I ask the Leader for a debate on youth policy. We had an excellent budget and, whether one thinks it was enough or not, there was something for nearly everybody in the audience but with the notable absence of provisions for the under 26 year olds. We need to have a debate around our attitude towards young people and whether we do or do not consider them to be equal members of our society, especially when it comes to access to benefits. I welcome yesterday's announcement that unemployment levels have fallen below 9%. Clearly young people benefit significantly from that fall but there is a broader issue in terms of our under 26 year olds. In an ideal world that should be debated by both the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

I agree with colleagues who have called for a debate on the situation in Northern Ireland. It is welcome to see an agreement in place but on recent visits to a number of housing estates in Belfast I have noticed the significant number of new "peace walls" which have appeared between areas of Belfast. There is nothing more clear, more obvious or more evident of the continued existence of sectarianism than seeing a wall dividing two communities.