James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the response. Unfortunately in my own constituency there are many pertinent questions that still need to be answered. That has been the case for a very long time, preceding the Minister of State's entry into government and the entry into the Department of the Ministers present. I want to do a lot of work on this issue because we need it to build new homes in my constituency. Many younger families cannot find suitable, affordable rental accommodation but aspire to buying their own home. It is just not an option because there is such demand on the supply chain in the east Cork area, which has been exacerbated by poor wastewater infrastructure. I appeal directly to my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who is doing excellent work in his Department, to come down to Cork East. It is something we have discussed. I want to bring him to Mitchelstown, Midleton, Cobh and Carrigtohill to see for himself the inadequacies in investment. They are unmistakably a serious issue when it comes to housing development in east Cork.

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