Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I know, but some people may have different views. Our purpose should be to resolve the homelessness and housing crisis rather than attempting to re-stimulate the private sector.

I wish to raise one issue that was left out of Deputy Eoin Ó Broin's nine categories. That is the issue of finance. There have been questions raised by Deputy Mick Wallace and others about whether based on EU fiscal rules the State is in a position to fund a house building programme through the local authorities, etc. We need to have a meeting to examine that issue because there is no point in coming up with proposals if, when we go back to the Dáil, the Minister for Finance - whoever he or she will be - will say, "I am sorry, but we cannot do this." There must be a discussion about financing a house building programme.