Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I belatedly congratulate my Sinn Féin colleagues on their amazing success in the North. I was up there in the 1970s a few times and this outcome was never envisaged. Therefore, I wish them well in this regard.

Turning to the issue of the new national maternity hospital, I am delighted it is getting the green light. There has been procrastination in this area for almost a decade. It is about time we got off our backsides and got this hospital built for the women of Ireland, particularly those of childbearing years, and for the midwives and all the experts in this area.

My main request today is that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, come to the House soon. I was recently contacted by a young couple who have saved approximately €60,000. They were trying to buy a property and needed to borrow about €185,000. They eventually went to their local authority for that money, but they were refused because the local authority said the most it could give was €150,000. There should be more flexibility in this area. If this situation is allowed to continue, this young couple and their three children will go on the housing list, which will create further problems down the road. Greater flexibility should be exercised, particularly by local authorities, in the context of young people trying to get on the property ladder. What has happened to this young couple is a disgrace. The husband has a trade, is working full-time and is earning reasonably good money. His wife has decided to stay at home with their three or four young children and rear the family because of the cost of childcare. She will probably go back to work when the children reach school age.This issue should be looked at. Flexibility is the word I would use in this regard.