I am very pleased that Senator Jim D'Arcy is building bridges of his own across the political divide. I support him in the call he has made for common sense to prevail and for people to stop playing games with this issue which is far too important.

I raise the issue of social housing and housing in general. On a number of occasions in this House the Sinn Féin party has raised the issue of housing. Last year we used Private Members' time, the sole opportunity we have on a yearly basis, to raise the issues of provision of social housing and rent supplement. We saw a crisis which was evident at that time and which, unfortunately, has got much worse since.

As Senators will know, in this state we have had a major change in policy in social housing in the past ten years, away from local authorities to building social housing blocks or estates and being given funding to do so. There was Part 5 social and affordable housing and also the private rented sector. I agree with part of the policy and do not agree with other parts. We have now found ourselves in a situation where local authorities do not have any money to build any social housing. Part 5 goes to the private sector and new builds have completely dried up. There are no new builds and no new housing stock coming into play. The vast majority of housing needs are being met through the private rented sector, either through rent supplement or the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. What we see now is a crisis within a crisis. I can testify to that in terms of my own dealings with people in Waterford who are either in RAS houses or waiting to get into them. We have a crisis within a crisis where there is a reduction in the amount of money people can get through rent supplement and there have been changes to rent caps.

Landlords, mainly in Dublin but also in other urban areas throughout the State, are either unable or unwilling to repay their mortgages. As a result, their properties are being repossessed by the banks and RAS applicants are simply being turfed out. There is no support for the latter. We need to return to the drawing board in the context of the provision of social housing in the State. Will the Leader arrange a debate on housing? There are many facets to this matter, including mortgage distress - this is a hugely important issue and the Government has not done enough in respect of it - and the crisis in social housing, and they must be dealt with. I would welcome it if the Leader made time available for a debate on this important issue.

I support Senator Cullinane's call for a debate on housing. I have raised this matter on previous occasions in the House. In view of the fact that there are massive housing lists in place, it is important to pose the question as to why so many thousands of people are obliged to live in dreadfully inadequate conditions when there are tens of thousands of vacant accommodation units throughout the country. As in the past, the relevant Departments must come together to resolve this matter. This State has experienced many economic problems since its foundation. During periods of economic difficulty in the 1930s, the 1950s, the 1970s and the 1980s, the then Governments which were of a variety of political hues invested money in housing programmes. Such programmes ensured people were given decent homes in which to live. The thinking which obtained in respect of this matter in the past must come to the fore again. We must try to deal with the housing crisis because the obvious social problems and problems relating to crime to which it is giving rise need to be addressed. I support the call for an urgent debate on this matter.

I wish to comment briefly on the current economic situation and the Government's decision earlier today to re-engage with the trade union movement. I support that decision because talk is better than confrontation. However, we must be realistic in our discussions with the trade union movement and with the public sector unions, in particular. In that context, we must ensure that no one becomes removed from reality. The Government must save €1 billion on public sector pay and pensions. We must ensure we have a public sector in respect of which we can afford a pay and pensions bill and which the economy can afford to sustain into the future. There may have been difficulties with the deal that was previously on offer and perhaps it might be possible to consider a tweaking of that arrangement. However, the message must go out loud and clear from those on the political side of the debate that the €1 billion in savings to which I refer must come from within the public sector. Taxpayers and those in the private sector can pay no more and those in the latter sector who lost their jobs can afford to lose no more. That is the economic reality in which this country still finds itself. That reality must be taken into account in the context of any negotiations which take place.