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

As for the issue Deputy Cian O'Callaghan raised, of course apartments are homes - I know that - but we have had an issue with the building of apartments in recent years. We have been in government for one year and a half and we have been endeavouring to deal with the issue of viability. Builders are saying they cannot build apartments and get a return. There has been a particular absence of compact growth. We want to build more in the city centres, where the services are. The Housing for All strategy has developed the Croí Cónaithe fund to see whether we can trigger greater investment in cost-rentals and greater apartment building. As for houses and housing estates, owner occupiers are no longer competing with funds because there are planning regulations and additional taxation measures there to prohibit that.

To respond to Deputy Tóibín, Fianna Fáil is not a party entirely of the free market. Fianna Fáil has always believed in State development and State involvement in the economy from its earliest days, from establishing State bodies and investment in public housing right across the board. We also believe in development and enterprise and the individual entrepreneur and entrepreneurial spirit. That is important. Likewise, however, there has to be a strong State in respect of health, education, childcare and so on.

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