Mr. Wayne Stanley:

To follow on from that point, there is a sense in this discussion that the reason we are here is that we are in the midst of a housing crisis and the constitutional change will create an impression that there has been some kind of leap forward. I make the case that the housing crisis has been an impetus for more discussion on the insertion of the right to housing in the Constitution. It is a conversation that has been had a number of times by different Oireachtas committees and has been put forward a number of times.

The last time we were here with Professor Ó Cinnéide, and Mr. Boyle mentioned this in his opening statement, the professor talked about the catalyst and the impetus that could be inserted. We also talked about the counterfactual of where we would be now if we had a right to housing in our Constitution. When NAMA was created, there should have been a greater focus on the value of housing and not the choking of supply. The provisions applying to NAMA by the Legislature that a social good should be delivered from it were roundly ignored in fact. In terms of delivery of housing., would there have been a difference now? Where would we be if we had that right to housing in the Constitution? That is the way for the Legislature to think about it - as part of the recipe of success going forward for the next 20 to 30 years. That is why it has been part of the conversation within the Housing Commission. That is why the Minister put it in there, although I do not know what was in the Minister's mind so I do not want to overly declare that. However, it is part of the recipe for the long term. Nobody is making the case it is some silver bullet that will move us rapidly forward.

To Deputy Creed's point on where we should be looking, the Legislature and the public can do a number of things at the same time. There is nothing that says inserting a right to housing into the Constitution or inserting our values around the value of home that is explored informatively in the commission's report is a waste of the Legislature's time. Upholding the law and deciding on the Constitution is what members are here to do as public representatives. I do not think it is a waste of time or effort; it is part of the recipe for the long-term, sustained solutions that will move us forward.