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

As the parent of two small children, I find it really disingenuous. I would prefer if people engaged with the agencies which have the expertise and are in a position to give the best advice on the facilities that are available. One cannot build a house without architectural and engineering drawings and one cannot throw extra money at something without saying how one will implement it. It is easy to throw extra money at something when it is somebody else's money. This is taxpayers' money that we have a duty to spend in a transparent manner. It is not as simple as throwing a box of Lego on a site and having houses appear. Housing developments need the provision of roads, water, public transport, schools, shops and other services. We are trying to build communities, not isolated islands or the ghost estates of the past. Something is clearly working if, in March this year, planning permission had been granted for 25,000 homes. Clearly, some policies are working.

Sinn Féin is calling for the abolition of local property tax in the next couple of years, yet it wants to put a tax on anybody with a second home. Many of the people with second homes are accidental landlords. All Sinn Féin is doing is moving figures around on a page, being disingenuous and preying on vulnerability.

Rebuilding Ireland is working and we are seeing progress, albeit not at the pace we all want. We are two years into a five-year programme across all five pillars which have to work together. We are turning a corner. We must bear in mind that tweaks are needed in the rental sector and other areas. We never said Rebuilding Ireland was perfect, but it is a strong policy platform that is having and will have the required outcome.

The motion makes reference to the affordability of housing. We are starting to see movement in that regard. We make no apologies for focusing first on the most vulnerable in society. Local authorities have circulars from the Department, but they do not need a circular to deliver affordable housing schemes. I wish to correct the record about what was said about my area in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It was not Fianna Fáil councillors who came forward with the scheme for the Shankill site. It was Councillor John Bailey, Councillor Michael Merrigan and Councillor Shane O'Brien of Sinn Féin who brought forward the proposal. Many other local authorities are bringing forward tangible solutions to the shortage of housing. We need to get this right in order that we do not repeat the mistakes with which my generation had to deal. We still bear the scars. I remember queuing overnight at marketing suites to put down a cheque in schemes that had not yet been built. The following week prices went up by between €10,000 and €30,000. I still remember those days and want to make damn sure they do not happen again.

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