Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We agree on one thing, namely, that the housing crisis did not start yesterday but has been a long time in the making. It started when this and previous Governments reneged on the State's responsibility to provide homes for citizens. That is the crucial element to all of this.

Yesterday, the Taoiseach tried to blame local councils for the lack of social housing, yet the Government has failed to provide sufficient funding to allow councils to build and buy houses. He is still not providing sufficient funding. The plan promises to meet the needs of 131,000 families over six years, but 94,000 will remain in the private rental sector and will be subsidised by the State through HAP, RAS and leasing. How is that not an over-reliance on the private sector, guided not by housing need but rather by the ideological position of the Government?

The Taoiseach commended the Committee on Housing and Homelessness - it is the most commended committee in the Dáil. A lot of nonsense is talked about new politics. The Taoiseach did not take on board some of the major findings and recommendations of the committee. The number one priority recommendation of the committee was to increase the housing stock by 10,000 units per year every year. The Government's proposal falls 40% short of this. Government Deputies signed up to the plan. The Taoiseach has ignored this issue.

He also ignored my other questions. I asked the Taoiseach to tell me why the plan falls 40% short of the number one priority recommendation of the committee.

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