Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. My belief and that of my party is that we should build social houses and that we are constrained by the fiscal rules. Housing is the social and economic issue of our generation, and housing provision should be a right rather than a requirement. I was present in the House earlier when Seán Lemass was mentioned, and a Member suggested what he would have done about another issue. We in Fianna Fáil know what Seán Lemass would have done about housing. He would have ensured that the Irish State built and managed social housing and provided homes for our citizens.

In 2005 the EIB said, in reference to the Juncker plan, it was confident that the plan would be the catalyst for the financing of social housing and associate investment in community development as a priority target. We are not availing of the European fund enough. I ask the Minister to be more innovative in the way we finance and manage the State's building of social housing. I do not see any answer today that gives me confidence that we will get on top of the growing housing crisis.

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