Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Housing Agency has a mandate to lead on bank-led vacancies and that is what it is doing. One of the things we have made clear to local authorities is not to compete with private buyers when it comes to new houses. That is separate from the issue of turn-key properties where the homes would not have been built at all were it not for the interest of the local authorities in spending the money.

We are in an expanding market for new houses being built. More than 2,000 homes start under construction on site every month. This is very welcome. The Deputy mentioned once-off homes. People are living in these so they are also meeting demand.