The Minister for the Environment has welcomed a call by McInerney Construction for action to be taken against gazumping. Mr Dempsey said he had noted the company's announcement it would commit itself to purchasers that when a price was agreed for a property it was fixed at the time the booking deposit was paid. Measures which would genuinely help to improve the situation in the short term were being pursued and house-builders were being pressed to adopt a voluntary code of practice to deal with gazumping. Mr Dempsey said he expected to see the introduction of a suitable and effective code by the Irish Home Builders' Association.