Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree with the Deputy on that. If we go back to social housing, our Housing for All plan will ensure that we have an average of over 10,000 new homes built across the country each year, including in Monaghan. It is important that we are tackling our social housing waiting list there.

On the provision of affordable homes, we passed the Affordable Housing Act 2021 before the summer recess. It was supported by Sinn Féin, and we are grateful for that. The Act is the most comprehensive affordable housing legislation ever passed by the Oireachtas. If the Deputy will excuse the pun, that puts in place the building blocks to be able to provide those affordable homes across the country. The latter will take a bit of time. We do not underestimate the challenge involved, but affordable homes will be delivered in Ireland next year and some will be delivered later this year. We already have the first tenants in cost rental homes from cost rental schemes that did not exist 12 months ago.

We are ambitious for our country. We are also ambitious in the context of ensuring that people can live in affordable homes across the 26 counties of this State. We are asking each local authority to point to areas where they believe they have affordability constraints. Monaghan County Council will submit that report to me by December.

See this speech in context