Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Leo fiddles while Rome burns. I am glad the Taoiseach has shared with us his deep commitment to homeownership. I am glad he at least recognises that there is a crisis and that homeownership for a whole generation is off the cards unless their mammy and daddy can help out with a deposit. The Taoiseach is missing the point of my question, perhaps deliberately. I have set out for him the real pressure that renters are under. He will be aware, as Focus Ireland has reported, that up to 70% of families presenting as homeless come from the private rental sector.

I have asked the Taoiseach to take one concrete action, set aside the rhetoric and do something constructive by backing the Sinn Féin legislation that is before the Dáil. That legislation will ensure that buy-to-let landlords cannot insist on vacant possession to sell the property because that renders these families homeless. I am sure that people outside the Dáil are sick to the back teeth of the housing crisis and politicians talking about it. They want action and this is one solid action that could be taken, that could prove to people, by deed rather than word, that the Taoiseach is serious about getting to grips with family homelessness and the crisis in the rental sector.

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