Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I have the figures here. It is outlined in the Social Housing Strategy 2020 that the Government will invest €2.2 billion from 2015 to 2017, inclusive. That works out at a capital investment in social housing averaging €733 million a year. In 2010, the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government invested €980.6 million on social affordable housing. Therefore, this Government is spending less than it did, contrary to what the Minister, Deputy Burton, came in here and said. There is nothing to meet the emergency that exists in this area.

I have two final questions. When jobs are being created or houses are being built, usually politicians are only too keen to promote it. Why has it taken so long for the Minister's Department to give Deputies an outline of exactly where these houses will be built? Could the Minister also clarify for council tenants and for people in private rented accommodation when he will bring forward the legislation relating to water charges?

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