During the past week the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, made a number of comments on housing matters, which, as we are all aware, are in a dire situation. Following the comments of the Minister, is legislation or Government action on these issues imminent? The first issue is the scandal of an estimated 250,000 empty houses in the State. To use the Minister's words, is urgent, radical action going to follow to ensure these houses are made available for people who are homeless or rotting on a housing list? On the same subject, I heard a worrying comment by the Minister in respect of the Irish Glass Bottle site to the effect that he hoped we might get 10% of it for social and affordable housing.

That is not what I said.

That is what he was quoted as saying.

Let us not get into an exchange on the matter.

My point is that it is NAMA property - publicly owned property. Is the Minister going to clarify his comments? We should be getting 100% council and affordable housing on what is public land.

Can we get an answer from the Taoiseach, please?

We need clarification from the Government of the intentions for the Irish Glass Bottle site.

I will refer to Deputy Martin's question first. I made the point that this is a vicious, murderous campaign between two families which I, as a person, cannot stop. However, I assure Deputy Martin, the House and the people that, as Head of Government, whatever resources, facilities and backing the Garda Commissioner requests from the Government to protect our citizens and to deal with this will be made available. That point has been made clearly by the Minister for Justice and Equality on a number of occasions.

The Government will not lie down in the face of this particular continuing murderous onslaught. Let me make that perfectly clear.

The Deputy made a valid point about prescription drugs which Deputy Shortall raised as well. I will take that matter up with the Minister for Health, and let us have a discussion about it to see what is actually possible.

It is very urgent.

Yes, it is urgent, and I will take it up as a matter of urgency.

In respect of housing and homelessness, the first thing we did was to make this an absolute Government priority, with a Minister for housing, planning and local government. We have set up the Cabinet committee. Within the first 100 days the Departments of housing, planning and local government, Finance, Transport, Tourism and Sport, Justice and Equality and Social Protection will respond by putting together the facilities and tools necessary for the Minister for housing, planning and local government to be able to do his job. He has already made an agreement with Dublin City Council to keep emergency accommodation open.

I am glad to note in the employment figures that 10,000 extra people are working in the construction sector. I admit that much of that is in the commercial sector, and we need to get it now into the domestic and social housing area. The Deputy is aware that the requirement under Part V is for a minimum 10% social housing in every development. I agree completely with Deputy Martin that it is not acceptable to anybody that large numbers of children, or any children, are in bed and breakfasts and hotel rooms or have to go into adult accommodation late at night when there is no other accommodation available. The Minister is working and will work flat out to see how we can best deal with this, because it is an emergency situation that applies nationally.

Deputy Boyd Barrett wanted 100% social housing. It is a 10% minimum under-----

On public land? That is new.

-----under Part V. The figures that the Minister quoted-----

That means 90% is being sold off.

The Deputy should stop trying to twist the truth.

That is the truth.

----are from the 2011 census. That is for 240,000 houses, excluding 60,000 further houses that are holiday homes.

That means 90% of public land is being sold off.

The Deputy is trying to twist the truth.