Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Well, I am afraid I am not in a space where I can debate that with you just now, Mr. Gormley, but I would not act in the way you suggest. Ms Harney, you say in your statement, "I am proud of the economic and social achievements over the period [in government].", and in the Oireachtas core documents, Vol. 2, it says, I'll quote very briefly, the Progressive Democrats 2007 election manifesto claimed that, in government, the Progressive Democrats will "Continue our successful policy-approach of significantly increasing housing supply to reduce the cost burden on homebuyers". Ms Harney, evidence on this inquiry asserts that between 1996 and 2006, coinciding largely with your time in government, saw the price of an ordinary home increase each year over those ten years by the equivalent of the average industrial wage - each year, the equivalent of the average industrial wage. How can you describe that as a successful policy?