Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On "The "Saturday Night Show" last Saturday, the people of the country would have watched Declan and Annette Coyle talk movingly about their nine year old son, Alex, and their heartbreak and sense of bewilderment at the heartless decision to take the discretionary medical card from their son. They put on the table the entire supply of medical equipment required for Alex on a weekly basis. It was a cocktail of syringes, feeding pumps, nappies and medication. With dignity and pride they spoke about how they look after their son on a 24 hour, seven days a week basis. He has Mowat-Wilson syndrome, which is very rare. If anything captured the extraordinary scandal that has been going on in our health system for the past two years, that episode captured it.

I have raised time and again with the Taoiseach the Government's decision to end discretionary medical cards and take them from very needy people. The Jack & Jill Children's Foundation has 300 such hard cases with very sick children, and its literature is now stating that the Government is torturing the parents of such children into submission. Is that what the Taoiseach and the Government is about? Since January 2012 I have raised case after case involving issues such as this one. It is scandalous, and it reflects badly on the Government's view of issues and its sense of priority.

There are other cases. An older woman with breast cancer and secondaries who is €20 over the limit has had her medical card withdrawn, as has a man suffering from chronic depression who previously attempted suicide and is €5 over the limit. The longest surviving Irish patient of chronic myeloid leukaemia, James Mullen, who has had a medical card for 22 years only found out during a visit six months ago to his chemist that it had not been renewed. What is going on is extraordinary.

The Taoiseach has denied that there was any change of policy. We now know, courtesy of the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, that there was. He is now questioning whether there ever was a legal basis for discretionary medical cards. That anybody would do this to such vulnerable children and adults is causing uproar and shock across the country.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is over time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Government intervene and change the policy and restore discretionary medical cards to young sick children like Alex Coyle and others who have had their cards wrongly withdrawn from them?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I did not see the show referred to by the Deputy and do not wish to comment on an individual case. Obviously, these are exceptionally sensitive cases. It should not be assumed that the Government is out to withdraw medical cards from people as a matter of policy. The Deputy is well aware that for many years community welfare officers from various parts of the country were in a position to make a judgment in regard to whether a card should or should not be allocated, which made for uneven allocation of cards. The centralisation of the process has resulted in a more even allocation across the board.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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The Government made a mess of that.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In regard to the cases highlighted, the facilities, aids and appliances required by a sick child or adult are met by the long term illness scheme. The question that arises is how far can we stretch discretion given the equality of assessment that applies in terms of the income limits. I have been informed by the HSE that it has been flexible in dealing with individual cases. I accept that in centralising applications to one database cases can be missed and that the nature of the machine is that it does not recognise the circumstances in which people find themselves. I, too, have dealt with a number of these cases.

I understand that members of the family mentioned by the Deputy were in discussions about the matter today with personnel from the HSE. A series of presentations are being made regarding automatic qualification for a full medical card depending on the nature of a person's condition or circumstances. As the Deputy will be aware, the system provides for a full medical card, long term illness entitlement, a discretionary medical card and an emergency medical card. The problem that arises is if one decides to change the law in respect of particular categories, which may include people whose cases are very difficult to deal with, how far does one go? As I understand it, it is estimated an additional 250,000 people will be diagnosed diabetic in the next ten years.

I engaged early this morning with the HSE about these cases and will engage further on the matter tomorrow with medical personnel. I accept that the review process in the context of the sharing of information between the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Health and the Department of Social Protection results in an assessment of approximately 80,000 cases per month. In this regard 30,000 people are never written to because it is clear they are entitled to a full card and 30,000 are asked to report on whether their conditions have changed and so on. Some of the remaining cases can be problematic. Nobody wants to see any child left without assistance.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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It is being done.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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It is happening.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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While the long term illness scheme covers all aids and facilities, there are cases that need to be dealt with on an individual basis. I have undertaken to deal with this.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The case of Alex Coyle was described on the "Saturday Night Show" as barbaric. It is barbaric. During the show a photograph was shown of the young boy in intensive care following a seizure. Anybody who saw it would not have to think twice about what needs to be done. His medical card must be restored. I am surprised the Taoiseach has not picked up on the matter. People all over the country are posting messages about it. They are in shock at what has happened.

The Taoiseach was warned about this two years ago. It is clear that young and elderly people with chronic terminal conditions are being targeted in terms of withdrawal of their discretionary medical cards. Thousands of discretionary medical cards have been already withdrawn. Many times, I have given the Taoiseach lists of people whose cards have been withdrawn. This is not about another list, rather it is about the need for systemic change.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question please.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is about changing the policy of persistently and, in my view, heartlessly, withdrawing medical cards from those who need them most. I invite the Taoiseach to view the clip of the show about which I am speaking. I think it will change his mind.

Let us forget the red tape and forcing children to go through hoops and sort out this mess once and for all. Everybody here knows what is a medical card. Let us give back medical cards to the children who need them.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is a simple request. The Taoiseach has the authority and the power to make this happen. No self respecting society would stand over this.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has made his point.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In the worst of times the discretionary medical card, required by sick children and people with terminal illnesses, was always protected. That was the least we felt we could do. Given the scale of equipment and medicine required by the child concerned, there is no way his family can meet his needs. There is no way they can do it without a medical card.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Fine Gael and the Labour Party do not care.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I will not stand over a situation where children and young adults in need of State support do not get it. None of us wants to see that happen. As I understand it, the HSE in dealing with individual difficult cases has been more than flexible in terms of the income limits.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Rubbish.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Not at all.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I am speaking about cases of which I am aware.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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It is different when a letter is received from the Taoiseach.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please listen to the reply.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The question that arises is how far does one extend that flexibility. If one takes all of the children-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am speaking about those with rare syndromes.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Taking all of the children who have problems of one sort or another, be they physical, intellectual and so on, how does one ensure equality between one person with a particular medical circumstance and another? Where in this regard is the line to be drawn?

As I said earlier in my discussions with the HSE, when a system such as this is centralised and computerised the nature of it is lost because of the manner in which the machine selects cases for review. The challenge for the Minister and the Government is to have a system that is fair but takes into account these circumstances.

While I said earlier that I had not seen the programme referred to, that does not mean I am not aware of it. When I get an opportunity, I will, of course, look at it. I, too, have come across some really difficult cases, some of which were approved and others were not. There are cases in respect of which flexibility is required, even for people who have incomes in excess of the limits. Even where flexibility is applied, one can run into problems in terms of equality of treatment and the reason one person gets a card versus another.

I accept this is an issue. I also have been contacted by parents regarding sensitive and difficult cases. Nobody wants to see this happening. The question that arises is whether we can devise a system that caters for that in a way that is in compliance with the law that has been in place for some time. I am looking at that.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I agree with Deputy Martin on the medical cards issue, which I have raised with the Taoiseach many times to no avail.

Today, however, I want to ask him about his announcement on the water tax. I noted once again that he had gone to the media with this announcement as opposed to coming into the Dáil to discuss it. Let us be clear: from what we know, this is a water tax. It is Fianna Fáil policy and totally contrary to the stated policy of the Labour Party. It is the latest in a series of taxes the impact of which will be greatest on families on low and middle incomes. These families will have to pay, at the very least, €240 each year. At least 1 million households will be forced to pay this water tax despite having no meter. The parties which support this — Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Labour Party — must take full responsibility for the added tax burden that will be placed on struggling households on top of the family home tax, the septic tank charge, the carbon tax, cuts to child benefit and cuts affecting carer's allowance and medical cards.

The media briefings by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, the Taoiseach and the Labour Party could be presented as a modern version of Dean Swift’s A Modest Proposal, but there is nothing modest about the Government's proposal. There is nothing eloquent about its media spin and nothing satirical. The Government is deadly serious. Does Fine Gael believe the people are stupid? Does it believe they do not see what is happening and that they are fooled by the claims it is making? This shows just how far removed the Government is from hard-working families and vulnerable citizens. Whatever about the Labour Party's position, Fine Gael knows this figleaf will not cover the Labour Party's blushes. Is it not the case that the Cabinet's manoeuvring in recent weeks on this issue had nothing to do with relieving the burden on vulnerable citizens or bringing about safe water supplies and all other necessary services? Is it not very clear that this was all about the elections and public anger at the Government's duplicity?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I do not at all accept the Deputy's charge. The Government made a decision on the issue this morning. We were accused by Fianna Fáil of not having the courage to spell out what the average charge would be and the conditions that would apply to lower it for certain sectors. As I stated last week, the Deputy is party to decisions on the water charges people pay in Northern Ireland, but he refuses to acknowledge this. I am not sure whether in the South he is presenting the view that one should pay for nothing and contribute nothing and that all of these services should be provided free of charge.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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That is what taxes are for - PRSI, USC-----

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have made it perfectly clear on a number of occasions that this is the last major imposition that the Government will make on the people.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, Deputies.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I want Deputy Gerry Adams to understand that in the discussions we have had in recent weeks this issue was taken very seriously and engaged on constructively. The Government has issued a direction to the regulator stipulating that the subvention of €537 million is conditional on the average charge being €240 per year, or €60 per quarter. Taking into account the difficulties, hardship and challenges many people face and which I recognise, there are sectors that clearly require assistance. That assistance is being given in particular circumstances through the household benefit charge and the benefits for carers, those with a disability, those who are blind and so on. It is also taken into account that children obviously bring with them costs and charges in the daily running of a household. The Government has recognised this by providing extra assistance in that children are to be given a 38,000 litre allocation, which effectively makes all children under the age of 18 years free. There is an allowance of an extra €100 in the categories I have mentioned. A pensioner living alone, for example, will have 40% of his or her water needs covered by the free allocation of 30,000 litres. Together with the allocation of €100, this will mean that the pensioner's liability for the year will be approximately €138, or less than 50 cent per day.

It is obvious, although Deputy Gerry Adams does not want to recognise it, that water is a precious and scarce enough resource. It must be conserved and used well. It is probably the most abused natural resource in the country. Metering brings with it an incentive to conserve in that one can turn off the tap. In that sense, the Government has tried to make this measure as fair, affordable and incentivised as possible. Thus, people will understand they are in control of it. The allocation of the extra €100 will be to the benefit of pensioners, the elderly and those who receive benefits under the household benefits package. In addition, the Government will make available assistance in exceptional cases, as applies currently in the case of electricity and gas where the need arises.

The intention is to deal with the fact that 40% of water in the system is leaking away, thus costing the taxpayer €1.2 billion per year. We have inferior treatment works and pipework and there are 23,000 people subject to boil water notices. This needs to be dealt with. We have tried to make the contribution as fair and equitable as possible. The price point, by contrast with the figures of €2,000 and €3,000 that had been bandied about, is the lowest we can achieve without having to put the charge back on the Government's books. In that sense, the assistance decided on this morning by the Government, including Fine Gael and the Labour Party, was made available with a view to making the system as fair, equitable and incentivising of conservation as possible.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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There is nothing in the Taoiseach's proposal about conserving water. He has not spelled out what he will do in order that people will not have to pay this tax. He should listen to what he is saying. He might as well be standing or sitting as naked as the day he was born, like the emperor thinking no one notices.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach might as well be sitting there thinking people are absolute amadáns.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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There is a lot of that going around, too.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question, please.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Working people, people who will pay the tax, are not laughing today. They do not believe it is funny but that it is very serious. It comes on top of a whole series of punitive taxes and is totally contrary to the Government's election promises. Sinn Féin consistently and resolutely opposed the imposition of a water tax on already hard-pressed families.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Can we hear the Deputy's question, please?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Sinn Féin prevented a water tax in the North. The Taoiseach knows this but continues to mislead the Dáil on the issue.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputy ask his supplementary question?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach could have done the same here. He is dishonest in claiming Uisce Éireann can tell householders how much they will pay for water in the next few years. His proposal brings us only to 2016, just in time for the commemoration of the Easter Rising, at which point the tax will increase. The Taoiseach knows this. These charges never decrease; they always increase.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should adhere to the Chair.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I am finished. Does all of this not expose the fact that the Government continues, even at this stage, to mislead citizens on the water tax issue in an effort to get through the elections?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy accused the Government on many occasions in the House of not having the courage to spell out the details of what was involved before the European and local elections. He has been proved wrong in this case. Meters constitute a conservation measure. The Deputy has tried to insinuate in some way that people are amadáns or stupid. I disregard this completely and it is beneath the Deputy to say it.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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That is what the Taoiseach believes. They are his words.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is beneath the Deputy to put words in anybody else's mouth, as he would often say. He can withdraw that remark in respect of everybody in the House. The people are well able to make up their own minds.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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They will let the Taoiseach know in due course.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Evidence from many places around the country demonstrates the level of conservation achieved by water metering in households in private group schemes. One can measure the level of conservation. I have been very pleased with the results in saving huge volumes of water.

Regarding people who decide not to pay, this is not fair to all of those people who are hard pressed and who do make a contribution. While water is very necessary for life, fundamentally, people are not going to have their water connection cut off but there will be a case of reduced pressure where people decide not to pay.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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They will have a trickle.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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A trickle.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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What happens in the North?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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There are no domestic water charges there.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The time for this question is up.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy would be the first on his feet saying that we cannot cut them off completely, nor is there any intention to do so. However, if we are to have a contribution from everybody, with assistance for those who are in particular need, the answer to the Deputy's question is that the penalty is reduced pressure.

Any review of the average metered charge is deferred until 2016. The Deputy said that this is running until after the next election. Yes, it is. Far be it from me to determine what the people will want to do with their votes in 2016, when they come to judge this Government on whether it has fulfilled its mandate of sorting out our public finances and getting our country working or not.

The question of a review will be dealt with by whatever Government is elected by the people after the general election in 2016. This Government has taken all of these things into account. As I said, it is the last major issue imposed on the people. It has been known to be coming for quite some time. In so doing, we have taken into account children, the elderly, the vulnerable, the disabled, the blind, those on boil water notices and those who receive benefits through the household package, and there is provision for those where exceptional hardship or exceptional circumstances arise. In that sense, not only will it deal with the inadequacy of the system at the moment, it will provide a platform of provision of high quality, high volume, pristine water for generations to come, which is what it is necessary to do. Governments in the past shirked their responsibility in facing up to that. This Government will not, and it has been as fair and as affordable to the people as possible.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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It is another tax.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Catherine Murphy.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Down the road they will privatise it, when all the concessions are gone.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Since when did Deputy Ellis become Deputy Catherine Murphy?

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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It happened with the bin charges. There were waivers for the first few months and then they privatised it.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If you are not careful, you will be doing your talking outside that door.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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I have to respond to what they are saying.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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He is being harassed.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Murphy.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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I want to raise the growing issue of homelessness, particularly the growing phenomena of families with children becoming homeless. While the main news reports today are focusing on Irish Water and the so-called free allowance for children, the people I am speaking about may not have a home within which to access that water allowance. I have to say I am horrified by what I am seeing. I have been dealing with housing issues as a public representative for nearly 25 years and I have never seen anything like what I am seeing now. This morning the list of homeless families I am dealing with has gone from 12 to 14. Twelve of those families have children, and among them are two mothers who are at the late stage of pregnancy. This is adding dangerous stress to those individuals, one of whom was reported on during "Morning Ireland" this morning.

The irony is that these mothers would not be allowed home from a maternity hospital because they would not be allowed out to get into a car unless there was a car seat, but nobody is asking them if they have a home to go to. In many cases, they are required to rely on the charity of family and friends, which is very short-term, and that is if they are lucky. All of these families are feeling a sense of disbelief and are stressed out, and every one of them is frightened.

The Taoiseach appointed a Minister with responsibility for children. One of the initiatives for which she took responsibility was putting children first, an initiative I applaud. However, what about the children of the families I have just talked about? What about the families in other areas like Dublin and Cork, which are seeing increasing numbers facing the same fate? The Minister, Deputy Burton's stock reply to parliamentary questions in regard to rent supplement is that it is only supposed to be a short-term solution. This suggests there is actually another solution.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question, please.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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If there is a solution, can the Taoiseach tell me what that is? Does he accept that what I am describing is a crisis? If he does, I ask him to take direct responsibility and ensure that emergency measures of sufficient order to deal with the crisis are put in place immediately. Will he specifically look at the rent caps, which require urgent change, with a view to introducing a more flexible and more nuanced approach? Will he give a commitment that no family who present to a homeless unit in a local authority will be turned away without at least the offer of emergency accommodation?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I do not deny there is a serious problem here.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is a crisis.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is not one that grew up overnight and it has been around for quite a number of years.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is a disaster. Wake up.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, was dealing with aspects of the issue this morning. Clearly, it is not a situation that one wants to see, where families, for whatever reason, find themselves having to sleep in cars or having to be boarded in hotels in emergency situations.

Deputy Murphy is very well aware from her experience here that, in the so-called tiger years, we were building 80,000 houses when we needed 10,000 or 12,000. We now need 25,000 houses a year or more, and we are building somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000. How do we rectify this problem?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Build more houses, urgently.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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How do we move from a point where we acquire sites, provide funding streams for either local authorities or contractors to build houses, have an income stream coming in to pay for that and allocate people to these houses? During 2014, the Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, as she has already said, intends to maximise the number of housing for homeless households. It is not satisfactory the way it is, but it is largely within the various social housing mechanisms that have applied for some time that we have to deliver this in the short term. For the first time in quite a number of years, there is a return to direct build of social housing by local authorities. In February 2013, the Government's policy on homelessness was published in which the Government set out its aim to end long-term homelessness by 2016.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is a fantasy. Dream on.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That emphasises a housing-led approach which is about accessing permanent housing as a primary response to all forms of homelessness. In the past two years, some 1,500 people here in Dublin have moved from the homeless sector to independent living, which is significant but obviously not enough.

The homelessness oversight group was established in 2013 for the purposes of reviewing all of that policy. At its meeting on 25 February this year, the Government approved the establishment of a homelessness policy implementation unit, which is tasked with implementing the homelessness oversight group's first report. That will include the preparation and the publication of a structured, practical plan to make the transition from shelter-led emergency accommodation to a sustainable housing-led response to homelessness to achieve the goal of 2016 for putting an end to this.

In 2014, for example, the national homelessness budget will be maintained at €45 million, which is the same as last year. Investment of over €50 million was also provided through the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and similar investment is expected again this year. In addition, the HSE spends €30 million annually providing care supports for the homeless. A high level, three person oversight group was established to review the approach being adopted here. Some of these are people who have considerable experience and they submitted their first report to the Minister on 19 December last year.

I share the Deputy's view that this is a problem that has been building up for quite some time. It is not good enough to have adults and children sleeping in cars or being boarded in hotels. The answer is that we have to provide housing. As the Minister pointed out, with the best will in the world, we have to start with boarded up units, revamp and renovate them and make them available in the short term, and get the system in place for providing direct social housing. However, there is also the fact there is a substantial land bank, particularly in the Dublin area, and there are good contractors willing to provide private housing. The kind we provide, the mix we provide and the scale at which we provide that is where we need to be.

I want to see an end to this, but it will not happen overnight. The Minister of State will obviously look at the question of the rent cap mentioned by the Deputy.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Much of the Taoiseach's response was about what we would describe as traditional homelessness, which is, obviously, a major ongoing issue that needs to be addressed. This is entirely new territory involving families who one would never have expected to become homeless. I read an article by Kitty Holland yesterday which stated that in 2012 the Dublin authorities had spent €455,000 in looking after families that had presented to them. This year they expect to spend €4.5 million on bed and breakfast accommodation, which is an inadequate solution. This does not even make economic sense. Somebody presenting to the sections dealing with the homeless in Kildare and other locations, even with a child, is not necessarily offered a place in bed and breakfast accommodation, a hotel or other accommodation. He or she is told to find his or her family or a friend. What will happen during the summer when big concerts like the Garth Brooks concerts take place and all of these hotel rooms are absorbed? Ironically, there are so many on housing waiting lists that one could fill Croke Park for three nights in a row. I know things are difficult economically and that this is a legacy issue, but does the Government have a bottom line? Surely in 2014 the bottom line is that one will not allow a family with children to present as homeless and sleep in a car? Surely the provision of shelter is one area in which there is a point beyond which one does not allow families and children to fall? Will the Taoiseach give a commitment that the Government will recommence large-scale building? Even if he were to announce building today, not one of the houses would be delivered before the Government finished its term of office. Will the Government buy properties in locations where there is the greatest pressure? It is not just a question of reviewing rent caps. There must be much more flexibility within them. It is not just people in Dublin who are affected; others in other areas also need a review.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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There is a combination of things involved. The Deputy refers to returning to large-scale building. There are processes to be followed in that regard in terms of planning permission, site acquisition, site preparation and demolitions, in some cases. As the Minister of State pointed out this morning, for the first time in quite a number of years there has been a return to direct build in the case of social housing. Admittedly, it is not of the scale we would like to see in trying to catch up. NAMA has a very substantial land bank in Dublin and other locations, some of which has been offered for acquisition for direct build. The question of the mix, design and type of houses one should provide arises, as does the question of the rent cap, to which I have referred. The Deputy referred to buying houses. The Minister of State has already pointed out that a couple of hundred houses are being revamped and brought back into commission quickly. It is a contradiction in terms of the kind of city Dublin is. Many regard it as being one of the outstanding cosmopolitan cities in Europe and beyond, yet one finds places boarded up that should not be. Obviously, there are particular reasons this happens. We discussed the matter with the Dublin city manager last week at the Cabinet sub-committee and there is serious intent to try to deal with it in the best way possible. What is the bottom line? The bottom line is the Government's statement to eliminate homelessness by 2016. Obviously, we do not have any time to waste. I thank the Deputy for her question.