Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. McQuinn and welcome him to the committee. I am sorry for the delay. We have just come back from the voting block in the Dáil, where the Government has unfortunately voted to not extend the eviction ban.

I will focus on some of the housing issues raised in Dr. McQuinn's contribution. He mentioned that "in light of...population estimates...it is now likely that the structural demand for housing [will] be revised upwards, with demand exceeding supply in the medium term". Dr. McQuinn stated that "as a result, house price inflation, along with increases in rents, is likely to continue". What is the ESRI's estimation of the housing supply and demand mismatch? What is that thought to be currently? Given the targets we see in Housing for All, how does the ESRI project that shortfall to increase? What is the medium-term expectation referred to in the context of continuing house price inflation and increases in rents?