David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister uses terms like "ramping up" and "acceleration" with respect to new social and public housing, but it is a crawl at best. The evidence is before our eyes with these figures. We cannot on the one hand say Rebuilding Ireland is a success because we are building more houses and we are "ratcheting" up construction, as the Minister stated, while we get these figures month on month, quarter by quarter, indicating an increase in the number of people who are homeless.

There are a number of aspects to Rebuilding Ireland that I want to focus on very quickly. Affordable homes and cost rental scenarios are almost non-existent. Again, the Minister keeps telling us we will see progress in these areas but people do not see it. There must be a focus on social housing. In my constituency the targets for Rebuilding Ireland are woefully unambitious. The Government is missing the fact that more people are coming on the housing lists than coming off because we are building so few homes. There is no evidence of any ratcheting up of construction in the city and county where I live, that is for sure. The Minister needs to understand that unless we build more homes for people, we will keep coming into rooms like this and having these conversations about rising homeless figures. We will keep having the same conversations inside and outside the Dáil Chamber.

I ask about the Minister's plan for co-living and the comments he made in advance of the Raise the Roof rally. I commend trade unions and progressive political parties of the left, as well as others who mobilised, on the campaign to demand better housing for people and more houses. The Minister said co-living was a "choice" for people. The people who will be forced into these co-living arrangements do not see it as an option or choice. It certainly will not be a choice for the privileged or those who are doing well. The Minister said he did not want to comment on an individual planning application, which is fair enough. However, is it acceptable to the Minister that one of these co-living options will have an average rent of €1,300 per month? This would essentially amount to a bedsit. Is it acceptable to the Minister that we could have up to 40 or even more people sharing a kitchen on one floor? Is that something the Minister would want to see for one of his family members? I certainly would not. These are not choices for people and they do not aspire to it. It is a reality as there is no other option or alternative provided by the Government. Is it acceptable that €1,300 will be charged for one of these bedsit co-living options? Can the Minister stand over it? Is it acceptable that 42 or more people could share a kitchen?