Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I challenge the Government's dependence on the private sector to build the housing we need. The Minister is not interested in pumping money into social housing. Social housing stock decreased from 18.4% in 1961 to 9% in 2011. More than 100,000 people are on the housing waiting list. While the Minister is correct that not everybody wants a home, people want stability. With the Government's 2020 strategy of 70% rented and HAP, the Government is pumping money into landlords' pockets rather than building the housing and getting the money back into the Government coffers to meet costs. Will the Minister fundamentally consider changing the strategy from 70% social housing in the future down to 30% reliance on landlords?

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