There is increasing evidence of a housing crisis in the eastern region in both the private and public sector, where many families are now being split up and being relocated with relatives. Some of are actually homeless, some are moving from relative to relative on a daily basis, and some have nowhere to go. There is an increasing number of people registering with us with whom we have no contact address. In view of this, might it be possible to have a debate on the housing issue before the housing (miscellaneous provisions) Bill comes before the House? At the moment it is impossible to acquire a home to rent or a home to buy anywhere in the eastern region.

We cannot have a debate on that now.

In the absence of the debate now, could we have it in the future?

As an afterthought, I would like to inquire about the current location of my old friend, the bail Bill.

Much progress has been made on the drafting of the heads of the bail Bill. That progress has been made since the Deputy last raised it. There should be no problem, with the exception of time, in having a discussion on housing. The Deputy raised this before, as did other Deputies. I have called on one of the Cabinet subcommittees dealing with this to put together a group that can concentrate on how we might deal with the issue of NAMA land banks, planning permissions that are issued and that are pending, and so on. The construction sector has a responsibility here as well. We can have a debate on this in the House before the Bill is published.