Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)

I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader.

I wish to bring up the escalation of antisocial behaviour. I have no doubt that this issue crosses many of our paths across the different areas in which we live. Obviously, antisocial behaviour can happen in any estate and comes from people of different backgrounds. It is not something that is just related to council tenants; it can happen in private estates as well. When local authorities are housing people who have caused problems before and have a history of extreme antisocial behaviour, it is simply not good enough to move them from one estate to another. I would like to refer to a particular situation I am aware of. Obviously, I am not going to name the place where this is happening. As a result of the level of intimidation by a family that has been housed by the local authority in an older private estate where many of the residents are in their 70s and 80s, many of them are now looking to sell their houses and move. It is simply not good enough. This has escalated beyond ongoing threats and intimidation. There have been physical assaults. The family living directly next door has had to move out of their house and are in the process of trying to sell their house. Threats have been made and antisocial behaviour has taken place. Sadly, the children of the perpetrators in this home are now copying that type of behaviour.Recently, a 14-year-old who was wearing a balaclava and in possession of a would-be firearm threatened people within the estate. We need a debate with the relevant Ministers in this House to discuss how allocations are made and how to equip local authorities and the gardaí. An Garda Síochána has a big file on this situation. I have spoken to gardaí and to those within the housing allocations section of the local authority. It is absolutely and simply not good enough.

Barry Cowen MEP has launched a new position paper on the future of CAP. There has been months of dialogue with farmers and producer groups. I was glad to facilitate a meeting with some of them in Kildare. Barry has suggested that we put food security at the heart of EU strategy. At the core of his proposals is a new voluntary environmental pillar within CAP that rewards farmers for sustainable efforts without binding them up in red tape. I would like to see a debate on it in this House.