Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

In Berlin, there is a five-year temporary emergency freeze until the problem is resolved. There is no reason we could not do that and it would not necessarily drive people out of the market. It would be temporary and would recognise the emergency.

On the issue of housing lists, let us be clear. If the numbers on housing assistance payment, HAP, and rental accommodation scheme, RAS, transfer lists and so on are included, the figure rises to 100,000. RAS and HAP tenancies are very precarious. Many of the people in emergency accommodation come from RAS and HAP tenancies. They are not secure forms of housing.

On supply, let me ring the alarm bells. The Construction Industry Federation appeared before the housing committee yesterday and stated categorically that the supply targets will not be met. The industry cannot deliver housing that is affordable to people, people are not buying it because they cannot afford it, but it cannot be delivered any more cheaply. That means the State must intervene and deliver affordable housing on public land.

I reiterate a question the Tánaiste did not answer. Where is the affordable housing? The few pilot programmes will not be affordable. We were told at a meeting of the housing committee this week that Japanese knotweed in Ticknock will prevent the housing being delivered at affordable levels. We do not have a national affordable housing scheme based on income affordability.

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