Housing and Bill schedule
A brief festive interjection was followed by the Leader defending housing policy and refusing to remove No. 7 from the agenda. He argued the Government was still working on affordable and social housing.
No. As I stated, I accept that we are not where we want to be and where we should be. I understand that. One would think from listening to some of the commentary that the Government was doing nothing, but that is not the case. That is the point I am making. We are working to ensure affordable housing is made available and that social housing is built. That is why €2.4 billion has been spent in the area of housing this year.
I will not be accepting Senator Craughwell's amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that No. 7 be withdrawn from the schedule for today. There is one reason for my reluctance to accept it. I do not want to be the Christmas Grinch this afternoon. I do not want to spoil people's plans to go home early. The Upper House has an obligation to pass legislation. I know that the Senator and some of the members of his technical group have vehemently opposed the very important Bill that we are due to consider again today. It is important for us to make progress with legislation. Compared with any other Bill, we have spent way more time-----