Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Supply is an important issue but what the Government is completely ignoring is the issue of affordability. There are measures available to it to address the issue of affordability but, unfortunately, it is dodging those because it is too reliant on the market and is not prepared to intervene to the extent that it will make a real difference in people's lives. The Tánaiste, as the person who introduced the rent caps and rent pressure zones, knows perfectly well that they are of limited effect. They do not apply right around the country. In Limerick, for example, rents went up by 21% last year alone. In Waterford they went up by 19%. The Tánaiste knows there are plenty of loopholes in those measures which enable landlords to dodge their responsibilities. They are not effective in the way that I believe he intended and he should face the reality that they are not effective.

The Tánaiste also talked about the willingness to invest. There is not a willingness on the part of many developers to invest because they are sitting on landbanks waiting for prices to go up further, aided and abetted by the Government. The Tánaiste knows that rent pressure measures are not working. The derelict sites register is at a meaningless 33% in terms of vacant properties. The vacant site levy, introduced by Deputy Kelly when he was Minister, is not effective. In a situation where property values are going up so much and house prices are going up by 10%, what difference does a 3% levy make? It is time for meaningful action and less of the talk.

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