Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have less than two minutes, so I will not take a breath. I will not support any personal comments about the Minister, but I have no hesitation in supporting this motion. I have been here for just over two and a half years, and I have listened to three successive Ministers. Deputy Kelly was holding the fort when I arrived in the Dáil and was followed into the job by Deputy Coveney and, now, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. All three have one thing in common; they relied utterly on the market to provide. The Minister has tinkered with that market and made matters much worse. We have repeatedly presented positive solutions in the House. Significantly, almost a year ago I took part in a debate on a motion tabled by Deputy Healy and begging the Government to recognise that there was an emergency, that business as usual was not working and that it should do something different.

I am appalled that the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, would talk about social housing or big projects as "failed". That is not my experience. I am proud to be the product of a local authority estate. Leaving aside my own personal feelings, I am absolutely appalled that the Minister would make such a comment to justify his appalling policy of relying on a market that looks on a home as a commodity, something for profit.

There are solutions. Recognise housing as a basic human right; a right to dignity, a right to a home. Enshrine it in our Constitution. Use public land to build public housing. Have the State play a fundamental role in the market. Give the market a role, but balance that. Stop insulting people and he should stop the insults to Sinn Féin. Whatever the Minister's personal view of that party, there is a serious emergency and we require a serious solution that he is not giving us.

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