Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 11 July 2018

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Summer Economic Statement: Discussion

3:30 pm

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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We need to look at what further interventions the State can make in this area, which is what I am doing. I have no plans to put in place additional tax reliefs for the construction sector which would lead to outcomes I could then not control. I will not be doing so.

On the mix of expenditure, we are ramping up expenditure on social housing at a quick pace. I know that the Deputy would like more, but one in every four or five new houses built will be a social house. We are doing all we can to increase the stock of social housing, while at the same time accommodating people in need of social housing through the housing assistance payment and others. I supported the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, in saying we should move from leasing homes for social housing and competing with people who want to buy them to direct build. That is what we are looking to do.