Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will briefly mention two things arising from what Senator Horkan said. I had a rush-hour trip through the city centre in a taxi the other day and while I looked through the window I noticed many large buildings for student accommodation across the city. I am not against student accommodation as it is needed and it is very important. However, it seems strange that student accommodation, hotels and offices are the focus of the construction industry in our capital city while social and affordable housing, or any large-scale accommodation, is not being built. One can go back to the crash for the causes of this but the Government's policies can and do affect the pattern of the construction industry's activities. The time has come to take a look at why some buildings are being built and others are not. It cannot be to do with the overall state of the economy and must be to do with factors which are within our capacity to affect and to vary.

In the aftermath of the death of the Hawe family, in circumstances with which we are all acquainted, the question has arisen as to whether our succession law needs to be changed. As I understand it, certain people become unworthy to succeed if they commit an offence against, desert or are guilty of cruelty towards the deceased. That is perfectly good and sensible law, although it may have to be varied in light of recent events on the north side of Dublin, which I will not go into any further.

As things stand, the last man standing ends up being the next of kin. If that person is deceased, the question of whether or not he or she is unworthy to succeed is not taken into account. When one looks for next of kin or related people, one goes through a person who may have been the perpetrator of an offence and our law needs to be changed in those circumstances. It would be a good idea if the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, addressed this issue on one of his frequent trips to this House and if the Leader could make some time available for him to deal with the issue.