Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----very big increases in their rents. And yes, it is about supply. It is not just about supply, but it is about supply. I am encouraged by the fact that planning permissions and construction are increasing. I was in my constituency on Monday with the Minister, Deputy Murphy, visiting the Hansfield area where more that 1,000 houses are under construction. Some 150 of these are social housing and 800 to 900 are family and affordable housing. In that part of my constituency there are houses available for €320,000 and apartments available for €220,000. People able to secure a 35 year mortgage would pay €880 a month, which is considerably less than people pay in rent in many parts of the city. We are making real progress in that regard.

There is one thing on which I have to answer the Deputy. The Deputy is using the usual Sinn Féin technique of telling me what I think. Yes, I do stand for people who work and get up early in the morning. I absolutely do. So does this Government and so does the party which I lead. The definition which the Deputy has offered is entirely bogus. I have no idea where he has gotten the threshold of €75,000. I will give him some examples of the kind of things we are doing for people who do get up early in the morning and work, at all income levels.

In the recent budget we reduced the USC for everyone who pays it. Some 70% of taxpayers will see a reduction in the USC. We raised the standard rate cut-off point. That benefits any individual earning more than €35,000 and any single-income couple earning more than €45,000. We reduced prescription medicine costs for everyone - those who have medical cards and those who do not. That applies to people of all incomes. We have also expanded child care provision and introduced a guaranteed second year of pre-school for working people of all incomes. In addition we have introduced subsidised child care. There are now subsidies universally for working parents of all income levels. There are also targeted subsidies for those on the lowest pay. We have increased the minimum wage twice under this Government for those on the lowest pay. We are restoring public sector pay, starting with those on the lowest incomes but extending up the line as time goes by. I could go on, but those are just a few of the myriad ways in which this Government is standing up for people who work, people who get up early in the morning and people at all income levels.

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