Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The fundamental problem is that the Government and previous Governments have commodified housing. They have decided it is a commodity to be sold and traded. Each Government one after the other has had housing policies backing that up to ensure that ordinary people would not be able to buy a house or rent a house. In Galway the task force has told us that the rent crisis has risen 97%. The Taoiseach should listen to that. It is more than 97% higher than in 2012, and we have two units, to use the language of the Government, available within the HAP limits. The Government's policies and ideology have led to a housing crisis from as far back as 2009 when it stopped construction. I was in Galway when we stopped construction. Many devices were introduced to keep things off the balance sheet, as opposed to saying housing is a fundamental human right. We need 100% public housing on public land. I make no apology for it.

Within that, we would have a mix. As I am over time, I will stop in mid-sentence. Maybe the Taoiseach might stop and actually reflect on what we are telling him.

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