I thank Deputy Collins for raising this issue. I am not aware of the background or detail of this individual case and the O'Donovan family. As Deputy Collins has said, they have been a long-standing business family in Clonakilty down through the years, providing a very good service to the people of Clonakilty and surrounding hinterlands. I am at a difficulty in terms of responding in respect of the detail of the commercial relationship between the family and AIB and, subsequently, I believe Deputy Collins said, Eve…

That correspondence has not been brought my attention. I am not clear as to which office it was sent. I put this to the Deputy through the Chair. Why did he not come to me three weeks ago?

I am just asking the Deputy. There is a way of doing things.

I do not mind the Deputy raising it. I am just asking him. He raised it publicly.

The Deputy said in his second supplementary question that I had received correspondence three weeks ago. I have not seen that correspondence. I am not sure to which office it was sent. I will check that after this business. Many Deputies in the House, irrespective of parties or party positions, often come to me or tell me there is an issue and ask whether me or my office can do anything about it. I would respectfully say that the Deputy could have availed of that opportunity. He has raised it now, however. We will …

I just was.

Deputy Pringle could rise to it.

Approximately 1,000 units have either been provided or are in the pipeline of being provided-----

-----in respect of the tenant in situ scheme. The council is very clear in respect of the tenant in situ scheme. I am not clear on the background to the case the Deputy raised, but the council has the capacity to buy that house.

In the first instance, I pay tribute to Noel Murphy and thank him for his service to the Oireachtas. Very often, it is the people behind the scenes who keep the wheels of parliamentary democracy moving so efficiently and effectively. I thank him very much. I wish him and his family the best of happiness and good health in retirement. In respect of the issues raised by Deputy O'Callaghan, in an earlier era with pressures on mortgages and so on, it is striking that Ireland was perceived at a European level to have ha…

I will raise with him the point the Deputy has made.

I will not give a commitment on a referendum because that is a matter for the Government of the day, in terms of foreign policy more generally. I welcome the Deputy's important statement that no one is against debate because at the very mention of hosting a national conversation or forum on foreign policy and security, and I will be bringing proposals to Government in the next number of weeks to facilitate such a national debate and conversation, people on Deputy Kenny's side of the House and from the far left gene…

It gets said all of the time.

It gets said all of the time.

First, we will, of course, await the proposals from the county council. Every county and city councillor has a role in this. The Government has provided resources, especially in terms of the tenant in situ scheme and we want county and city councils to implement it and follow through on it. We also want them to follow through on affordable and social housing projects, which many are doing, but some less so than others. There is a need for us all to work collectively on this. In respect of a Senator who voiced criti…

That is the cut and thrust of political life.

My understanding is that the NSAI is reviewing it but I will check that again for the Deputy. We are very anxious to keep moving in respect of the mica scheme. I am informed that around 812 applications have been approved to date. There is a very strong programme in place and we need to make sure we can enable people to access the scheme and get approvals as quickly as we possibly can. My understanding is the NSAI is reviewing that particular regulation but I will get back to the Deputy to provide clarity in that r…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and I ask him to share the details of the specific case he raises with me, in terms of what transpired. There is no doubt the complaints system is not fit for purpose, which is why we are proposing the establishment of an external independent complaints process and will be introducing legislation providing for same. I would be interested in hearing the experience of the individual in the case referred to by Deputy McAuliffe.

I am not clear how a scheme could be specifically targeted. The Government has taken action in respect of air pollution. Air pollution is a killer. I am not sure whether Sinn Féin supported the ban on smoky coal when it was introduced. That ban was necessary. There was a big row in the Dáil at the time. The original ban was introduced by Mary Harney in and around 1990. If I am not mistaken, she introduced the first ban on smoky coal in Dublin. Then there is the issue of pollution from cars and so on. That is why th…

We have responded at length to various debates in the House on this matter. The councils are aware of the tenant in situ scheme, the repair and lease scheme and the climate adjustment fund scheme, which will facilitate the provision of additional supply and ensure that voids are returned to use.