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

Access to affordable housing was, arguably, the biggest topic during last February's general election campaign. It is little wonder, given that people had endured years of failed policy that left them paying extortionate rents and there was an inability on the part of practically an entire generation to access affordable housing and precious little council housing. This was an approach by a Government that the Taoiseach's party supported fully for a number of years so it is probably not all that surprising that the commentary on housing in the programme for Government is so lame. It represents more of the same, it is disappointing and it is a recipe for failure.

Last evening, the Government voted against a motion brought forward by my colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, that set out real solutions to affordable housing and the bones of a plan for the most ambitious public housing programme in the history of the State.

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