Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein)
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It is great to get a grand overview of the issues from our guests. I thank them for coming in. It has been very informative and helpful. My question is about how macro-level data is used. It always just seems to focus on the big cities. It must be used to ensure rural towns and villages are not left behind in the wider plans to address the housing crisis. Laois is one of the fast-growing counties in the country. In the 2022 census, the population of the county was 91,657, an increase of 56% since the 2002 census. There has been a good amount of building in recent years but not enough, certainly not of affordable housing. This year, unfortunately, will see the lowest level of commencements with only eight in February, nine in March and 19 in April. House prices in Laois are soaring through the roof. The recent Daft.ie report showed that prices in Laois have jumped 52% from pre-Covid prices. How do we make sure that reports, actions and strategies reach further into towns like Portlaoise and rural areas? The housing shortage is just as chronic there as it is in big cities like Dublin and Cork.