Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 21 Senators who raised issues on the Order of Business. Senators Catherine Ardagh, James Reilly, Aidan Davitt, Brian Ó Domhnaill and Pádraig Ó Céidigh referred to the decision yesterday by the Central Bank to ease mortgage restrictions for young and first-time buyers. I thank all Members for their suggestions, which were welcome. It is incumbent on the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, and the Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Philip Lane, to listen to these suggestions, some of which were worthwhile. The important point on which we all agree is that we must try to allow first-time buyers to access the property market to buy homes. We welcomed yesterday's decision and will work with the Minister to ensure there will be a supply. We need a functioning construction industry and banks that lend. The help-to-buy scheme announced in the budget will make purchasing easier for first-time buyers. It is important that we allow these measures to take hold. Everyone is concerned about the nearly 7% increase in house prices nationally this year. Reference was made to the Celtic tiger. I hope we will never return to the boom and berserk cycle, but I welcome the news from the Central Bank.

In a genuine contribution Senator Gerard P. Craughwell referred to #streetsofshame. I have not seen that hashtag. The Senator referred to the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney. As I stated during Private Members' business yesterday, the Minister is someone who is trying. He is honourable and sincere, as demonstrated by his willingness to come to the House at times of political pressure. He accepts that he does not get everything right, but he is willing to engage and listen. The Senator is right that we should support him. I hope the Senator's thought-provoking contribution will change the landscape of politics. As Senator Kevin Humphreys is fond of saying, this is a time of new politics and Senator Gerard P. Craughwell's contribution was an extension of it, for which I commend him.

We all have a responsibility to the homeless and for how we interact with people. Those of us who participated in the Focus Ireland sleep-out will understand it is not a choice for many; that it is forced on them. One person homeless is one too many. Whatever the ideology behind the end result, we should work together to end this scourge on society.

Senators Kevin Humphreys, Fintan Warfield and TerryLeyden mentioned RTE's announcement this morning by its director general, Ms Dee Forbes, on the outsourcing of children's programming. Having met the director general, she is a fine person with a good CV stemming from her involvement in other media outlets across the world, but I agree-----