Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am learning as I go along. The Minister can say that he has an issue with our philosophy but I have an issue with his record and the records of this Government and that which preceded it. The Minister can say that Sinn Féin does not support people buying their first home. His party has been in government, however, and many people have been locked out of home ownership. Not only do I have an issue with the Minister's philosophy, I also have an issue with his record in this regard. It is the reason we have crisis as regards affordability and record rents. I am astounded by what the Minister said. Not only that, it is simply bad economic policy. The Minister has to agree that this is a supply-and-demand issue and that measure is a demand measure. He must agree that we have a situation where someone might be saving a deposit saved for a house priced at €400,000 and that they can avail of this when they have their deposit saved. Sinn Féin has made it clear that we are opposed to this. That is not only our philosophy; it is our policy and we will stick to it. I refute the Minister's comments on our philosophy when we can literally see his own record.