Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I might put the challenge back onto Dublin Town. Supply is key, and we can sit here all day and talk about what is happening with Housing for All, Croí Cónaithe and so on, but there are still issues not least with large multiples that have a presence in Ireland. They are not in the business of providing housing, so I have seen boarded-up staircases that become part of shopfronts and I have seen upstairs floors being accessible only from the rear of shopfronts. Is there a conversation that could be had within the membership of Dublin Town specifically, about not just the financial incentives? Many of these large multiples are also engaged in philanthropy, and the best form of philanthropy they could provide would be to convert some of the over-shop facilities. I appreciate that Dublin Town is in a unique position and is a representative body, but like Members of this House, its representatives have to be elected every five years. They cannot instruct their members but they do have to represent them. There is a conversation to be had to try to use the Croí Cónaithe and above-the-shop systems to talk not just about the financial merits but also about the benefits to the city that would be gained by providing more above-the-shop living.