Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)

I will very quickly ask a pretty straight question. Ms Behan was talking about the target of 15,000 homes in the general mix as regards affordability and the different schemes. Mr. Taaffe said that, if I add it up, roughly 10,000 homes will be delivered up to 2030. If I take into consideration what was said to be in the mix, there is a huge gap. That is first and foremost. That brings me to the conclusion that I must fully agree with Deputy McGrath that people in the middle, such as nurses, gardaí and office workers, are playing second fiddle in every sort of housing strategy we have introduced. They are not able to get a social house or to afford the prices in Drogheda, Dundalk, Dublin, Cork or Waterford. When we are looking at the new starter homes, I would argue that the balance has to favour this cohort of workers. According to this very quick calculation, we are talking about 13%, give or take. That is not a mix; it is a severe imbalance in the whole situation. How are we going to address the issues Mr. Taaffe raised as regards viability and borrowing constraints? If we are going to get to our target of 15,000 homes, in whatever mix that might be, a large portion of which must be for that middle cohort, how are we going to address these issues to ensure the local authorities reach those targets?