Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Does the Minister of State agree that many of the houses off-loaded to very vulnerable people in the middle and low income groups in the past 12 months were not at affordable prices? In fact, a debt was hung around their necks at a time when they were most vulnerable.

Does he agree that the long-term lease system is not a good one in terms of value to the consumer or the taxpayer? This is particularly the case at a time when there is an abundance of houses all over the country which are unoccupied but are in the market at prices far below those of the affordable scheme.

There are now almost 100,000 families on housing lists throughout the country, many of whom have to rely on rent support from the HSE and the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

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