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

I will try to bring the Taoiseach in touch with some glimpse of reality. The people I referred to who are locked out of the housing market do not have massive household savings.

In fact, many of them are struggling just to get by. They pay rent, which has gone through the roof, and they struggle to have any savings. Many of them have lost work and income. They are relying on a proactive approach from a competent Government to deliver a housing package, including an affordable housing plan. Covid or no Covid, the Minister said repeatedly in the summer that we would have an affordable housing plan. That plan has not materialised.

We cannot go to Christmas without that plan being produced for all to see and scrutinise and then to be implemented. Those are the facts. I take no comfort from the Taoiseach's vague assurances that something will happen at some time. Will the Taoiseach tell the House, on 2 December, where this housing plan is? It was promised to us last summer. When will it be published and when will we see it?

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