Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will deal with it. I am entitled to reply and not to have this constant heckling which seems to have become a feature. If Deputy Shortall wants me to respect leaders, reciprocity is called for. I am simply making the point that when the housing for all strategy is published, it will reflect my views on the optimal way forward for local authorities. I believe the best value for money is for local authorities to buy houses and to own houses. That is my view, and it is a view that will be reflected in the housing for all strategy.

In my commentary in the Dáil, I also said it has limited use. Leasing had been built up before I came into office. It does have some limited use in certain circumstances in terms of housing people who need emergency social housing. We have had a 48% reduction in family homelessness, for example, partly facilitated through leasing and actions taken by Dublin City Council, on which the Deputy’s party has members. That is exactly what I said last month in the Dáil in respect of this. Leasing, however, does not represent, in any shape or form, the core policy platform of this Government in respect of social housing. Can I make that very clear? Direct builds, both by local authorities and approved housing bodies, will do so. In addition, affordable housing is to be facilitated by local authorities and the Land Development Agency. With regard to the latter, legislation is going through the House that I hope will be passed before the summer recess. It will enable us to put the agency on a statutory basis to get houses built. Again, the Deputy is distorting the Government’s response by focusing on a single amendment tomorrow evening as if it constitutes the entirety of Government policy. Of course, it does not.

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