Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

If there was not a pandemic, there would be boots on the streets with people protesting. A whole generation has simply had enough and is not going to take that kind of response.

I acknowledge a lot of money is being spent by the Government on our behalf. However, we must look at what it is spent on, such as long leases for 25 years. Dublin City Council is in the market for 1,000 units just since the Covid crisis commenced. After the 25 years of the lease, the council will have no asset at the end but top dollar will have been paid. We have been told by a council official that these investors are greedier and they want more but are easier to deal with.

We are talking about affordability. Cost-rental with a profit tagged on to it is the opposite of what is intended. I remember in 2014 in the Dáil raising the issue of the housing assistance payment and saying that, if it was not accompanied by significant house building, it would become the dominant payment and suck up a huge amount of funds. It is exactly the same with long leasing.

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