Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister says that housing is the key, number one, priority of the Government. However, we are certainly not seeing a sense of ambition and urgency when it comes to that priority. We are not seeing that trickle down into Government policies. The Minister can provide figures, but the key figure of 4,000 children in homelessness remains a shameful stain on the Government's record. I repeat that the Government has to set ambitious targets to speed up delivery of homes. That is true in any sphere, whether it is sport or housing construction. Every stakeholder in construction says that. The Government accuses Labour of not having a plan. We put forward a plan in a motion to this House in March this year, a motion the Government did not even oppose because it knows that more must be done to speed up delivery of homes. In the Seanad Chamber today, councillors from different parties are debating. They will all point out the lack of ambition and urgency at local and national levels on the delivery of homes. We need to see more ambition and urgency from Government and it is not good enough to say it is delaying the publication of the increased housing targets until the autumn. When will those targets be published and why the delay?

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