Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, Members are aware that the apology to the Stardust victims is ongoing in the Dáil and in many ways, the Stardust tragedy has been the backdrop and soundtrack of our lives. We feel great solidarity with all of those impacted. To the families and on the stories which we heard yet again over the weekend, we admire their tenacity and that of all of those who fought for the victims.

Every one of us is conscious of the housing situation and of how difficult it is to rent or buy a house. Kildare is certainly no different in this regard, despite the fact that 8,500 houses have been built in the past four years. One important principle I believe in is that of the State not interfering in the private market. Already, we have had issues in Newbridge where our local authority, Kildare County Council, has tried to buy existing buildings for community purposes but has been priced out of the market by private buyers who have bought for the purpose of housing international protection applicants. Thankfully, new policies have been put in place to address this but, doubtless, they will take time to implement.

Very recently the residents in one housing estate in Newbridge learned that a property owner had signed a contract with the international protection accommodation services, IPAS, to house international protection applicants at an exorbitant price to the taxpayer.The issue here is not about who resides in the house, but the start of a practice whereby IPAS is taking from the private market. There are very few properties - 13 at this point - to rent in Newbridge. There is no way an ordinary working person or family could compete with the rent IPAS is paying. There is a very real concern that these houses will be completely excluded from the property market, for which prices are currently exorbitant. The residents of this older established estate are some of the finest people I know. They hope their family members will be able to buy or rent close to them. They are hugely concerned, as are many others, that we will have landlords buying up properties in estates to tap into this lucrative opportunity, should it present itself. We need an assurance that IPAS and the Department are not aiming to make it their custom and practice to rent from the private market. I ask that the House send a letter to the Minister. I have already written to him. This practice must be stopped.

I want to quickly raise another issue. The Garda Representative Association, GRA, is holding its conference in Westport as we speak. The theme for the year is It's A Job Worth Doing. We all agree that policing is a job worth doing but, to paraphrase an old saying, who is protecting our protectors? Listening this morning to John Joe O'Connell, the GRA's Kildare representative, speak about the issues the conference will discussing, I could not but agree with him.