I thank the 17 Senators who raised a plethora of issues, particularly those who have stayed behind to receive a response. I will begin with the issue of housing which was raised in various guises by Senators Ardagh, Ó Ríordáin, Paul Daly, O'Mahony and Humphreys. I take on board what Senator Ardagh said about the two sites in the constituency of Dublin South-Central - the John Player site and St. Michael's Estate. I acknowledge that the Raise the Roof protest yesterday was not just sizeable but impactful, although I would remind her of the protests under Fianna Fáil, including that of the pensioners who marched outside Leinster House when Fianna Fáil took away their medical cards.

I agree that it was right that the Minister rapidly dismissed, and I know Senator Humphreys mentioned it, the notion of housing people on a ship. This is something that was, pardon the term, floated in the UK as a way to house prisoners. When I was a poor intern in the European Parliament staying in Strasbourg for a week, a cruise ship always sailed up the Rhine and that is where we were put. The suggestion is not fit for purpose. It should never be seen as accommodation. If somebody wants to holiday on a cruise ship or join the merchant navy, well and good, but it is not a response to the housing crisis and I was relieved the Minister dismissed it in such a wholehearted manner this morning. The suggestion of a housing emergency committee-----

He is still looking for a floating vote.

There you go - possibly. The suggestion about a housing emergency committee is valid. We are all keenly aware of the issue with housing. The Government is on record as stating it is the number one issue, but I will bring the suggestion to the Minister's attention.

In response to Deputy Paul Daly's remarks about one-off housing, he might be shocked to hear that it is also a massive issue in my part of the world involving the Dublin Mountains up towards Glencullen, Ticknock and Tibradden. In my seven years on the county council, I sat in many a kitchen as someone went through the process to try to get a home for their son, daughter or other family member on land that could easily accommodate it. Each county council has a different approach to this issue. I know that we sat on the regional assembly together in a former life. Each regional authority has a different approach to this issue. It varies from county to county, but it is something that could solve many of our issues. However, it must be done properly. Building one-off houses without proper planning or consideration for the overall county's needs is not responsible, but there is a need and I will bring the Senator's suggestions to the attention of the Minister.