Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I want to follow up a few issues with the very short amount of time available to me. Housing is clearly not something isolated from the economy and the cost of housing has a direct bearing on disposable incomes. In turn, it has an impact on the real economy and people's purchasing power, etc. Mr. McDonagh describes the housing market in his opening statement as "benign", and the word crops up a couple of times. Mr. McDonagh's definition may come from a different place from where many people now find themselves. They may find it impossible to find somewhere to rent or buy at an appropriate price. How did Mr. McDonagh reach the conclusion that the market is benign?