Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion. What is shows, and having listened to the Minister, is how out of the touch he is with ordinary people. When the Opposition comes together to put forward proposals and to highlight problems with the Government's strategy on solving the housing crisis, we know the attitude he adopts to the Opposition. The way the Minister criticised Deputy Cian O'Callaghan earlier is like the way he criticises Deputy Ó Broin every week. The Minister's only answer is to criticise other people and parties who have put forward genuine solutions. That is typical Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael policy. Anyone who might watch the proceedings of this discussion or read about it would be of the view that this Government and the Green Party, which is a member of it, should be ashamed of their lives to give €450 million to the developers. We know Fianna Fáil is pro-developer, we know Fine Gael is pro-development but where is the Green Party, which said it would stand up for ordinary people and ordinary families? If we want to spend €450 million, I will tell the Minister how we should spend it.

We have 90,000 vacant houses right now that with this investment we could turn into homes to put families into in the short term. That is what we could do. Instead, we are in the middle of the worst housing crisis ever.

I have a clinic every Monday and Friday. On Monday alone, five families came in to me who will have to be out of their homes by September. The Minister is giving €450 million to developers. Is the Government so out of touch with reality? People cannot afford to rent and even if they could afford to rent, they cannot find properties to rent. They cannot find properties to buy and there is no social housing there.

I appeal to the Green Party, which has a lot going on this week. They should stand up. If there is one issue they should stand up on today ,it is the housing crisis. They are letting Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael get away with what they have got way with for 100 years, that is, looking after their buddies, looking after developers and looking after the well-to-do while ordinary people are suffering and they have never suffered. The housing crisis has never been as bad as it is today.

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