Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I thank the Senators for all their compliments. I appreciated the unanimous support I received when I brought forward the first amendment. I also thank the Minister and his officials. They met with me since the Seanad last met to discuss this important legislative measure. Everybody agrees with the amendment. Nobody is disputing it. Everybody accepts that there is a requirement to have targets for affordable housing, and not just affordable housing but also social housing, cost-rental housing and private rental housing.

It is entirely disingenuous for any Member to pretend and complain that the debate on this legislation is being guillotined or curtailed. It is not being curtailed. The Senator is curtailing it by calling a vote. It is a spurious endeavour at this moment. There is a clear commitment on the record from the Minister, and there is unanimous support in the House. This is a no-brainer. We all agree on it, but we are now going to waste 15 or 20 minutes by ringing the division bells and bringing Members to the House for a vote that the Senator will lose. We have a commitment and we believe the Minister is an honest man. We believe his intention is to deliver affordable housing, and not just affordable but also social housing, affordable housing both for purchase and rental and private housing. I appreciate the Senator's support, but I ask him not to obstruct the work of the House and the work of the Government. Let us move on and legislate to allow the local authorities to build affordable homes, which are desperately needed. Let us not prolong the debate.