Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has mastered the arts of hyperbole and understatement all in a few sentences. On the one hand, he says as an understatement that the supply of housing is not what it should be. He has not built any social housing in the whole time he has been in office, or not enough worth talking about, yet he goes on to accuse us of playing politics. He asks why we do not adjourn the debate. Why should we adjourn the debate? This is a question of real people living real lives and in a crisis trying to live their lives. Why does the Taoiseach not support the Bill? On Committee Stage, he could, if he wanted, amend it to suit whatever his position might be.

This is a matter of fairness and the choice between fair rents and being homeless. The Government, in its last manifestation, was very clear about whose side it was on. We hear all the talk about new politics but it is equally clear what side the Taoiseach is now on. There are people who will be homeless by the next time we have Leaders' Questions, which is tomorrow. There will be people who will never be able to own their own homes for as long as this crisis continues. Therefore, I ask the Taoiseach again whether he will commit to the principle of rent control. If not, why not? Could he explain to me why we cannot intervene to ensure there are fair rents for citizens?

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