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

A person does not have to walk very far from here to see the scourge of homelessness in the city of Dublin. Indeed, anyone can go into any of our cities or towns throughout the country to see that this is a reality. Rents are sky-high and housing is unaffordable, especially to younger people and people on average or lower wages. The Taoiseach was in government ten years ago. When he was in government he and the Administration of the time wrecked the housing market. The then Government created a property bubble that burst and devastated the country at the time. Ten years later, we see history repeating itself. Developers are taken care of and landlords are taken care of, but younger people and people on low incomes are all left behind. Home ownership remains beyond their reach. Rents are crucifyingly high. I want to ask the Taoiseach again. Does he accept that rents are too high? Does he accept they need to come down? Will the Taoiseach build a consensus with us? Will he act to ensure that we have rents cut and that we ban rent increases? They are straight questions for the Taoiseach.

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