Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all contributors to the debate on the motion before the House. I acknowledge much of the content contained in many of the deliberations. I am particularly conscious of the fact many members of Fine Gael and the Labour Party have acknowledged the housing crisis to be an emergency. Deputy Nolan acknowledged there was no shame in admitting this is a crisis and admitting the failure of the Government to address the crisis in the way in which he had hoped over the past five years. I find this most magnanimous on his part and on the part of others, much more so than the contribution made by the Minister who has had responsibility for the past two years, Deputy Kelly. He spoke for half an hour, and much of it was taken up in seeking to lay blame for this existing crisis, which evolved during the Government's tenure of office, in the hands of Fianna Fáil. Unfortunately, as Deputies Kelleher, Calleary and many others alluded to, the facts and statistics speak for themselves. The statistics state the case of which we are certain and of which the Dáil should have no doubt. This is that during the course of the previous Dáil the previous Government built 3,600 units per annum whereas the Government has built 300 units per annum. That is it in a nutshell.

This does not surprise me because it has been synonymous with the Government over the past five years to lay blame on the previous Government when confronted on various issues, considering the success it had in doing so at the time of the previous election. However, it has failed to acknowledge the great responsibility placed on it and the great expectations of those who gave them the privilege. I am conscious of saying this in the context of the publication today of the report of the banking inquiry. It does not carry weight and is not the launch pad the Taoiseach and others would have hoped for their campaign as we enter into an election. Without having read it I do not want to go into detail, but many would say it is interlinked with this debate, considering the blame the Government places on us for our supposed role in the crisis which exists for many of those who find themselves among the 130,000 people on a waiting list. There is no mention, I am led to believe, of any axis of collusion which supposedly existed between our party and builders and bankers, according to the Taoiseach.

See this speech in context