Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I want to be associated with the Ceann Comhairle's remarks, especially the thanks he has given to all the staff here.

I will ask about the latest house price increases. They have increased by 13.5% in the past year and rents have increased by 7%. Almost 9,000 people are living in homeless shelters, including 2,500 children. The Government has failed abysmally to meet any of its housing targets over the past year. In the first nine months of this year, less than one third of the social homes to be delivered were constructed. Only 25 cost rental homes were tenanted this year. During the previous election, the current Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, promised 10,000 affordable homes each year. This year, zero affordable homes were delivered - none at all.

There are tens of thousands of vacant and derelict homes throughout the country and the Government has done nothing to tackle this. When will the Government bring in a vacant homes tax to bring those homes back into use?

See this speech in context