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

In 1975, the last housing emergency, some 8,794 local authority homes were built. Why, therefore, in the middle of a housing crisis did the Taoiseach see fit to reduce the social housing obligation on private developers, from 20% to 10%? Why, in the middle of a housing and homeless crisis, is he allowing NAMA to sell off hoards of property at a massive discount? Why is he allowing the biggest construction operation in the world not to come into play to provide social and affordable housing? Will he do so or will NAMA continue as a form of corporate welfare to nurse the dysfunctional developers, the people who crashed the economy in the first place, back into business? Will the Taoiseach order that the proceeds of NAMA sales from shopping centres, hotels and office blocks now be used for social and affordable housing?

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