Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not a landlord and believe it is important that I declare I am not. While I was not present at the protest, I was dealing with an issue in my local authority, where there is a pinch point on a site. I was teasing through it to find a solution. That is what I deem to be the most appropriate use of my time, finding answers to real problems, rather than just saying we will do something and not do it. While it is welcome that other Members are putting forward suggestions, including some financial solutions, I do not see any physical policy for how they will physically put bricks and mortars on any site. If it was as easy as they are making it out to be, it would have been done a long time ago. While we all recognise the very difficult circumstances in which individuals and families find themselves, we have to support them with a range of measures while getting supply back on track. I hear Deputies state the money we spend in providing emergency accommodation should be spent in building houses. While I fundamentally do not disagree, I never hear how they will house the vulnerable people in question in the interim while the houses are being built.

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