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

The Deputy made his points. I am addressing all the points he made, because I have written down what he said. We need to study the facts. The bottom line is that a number of factors have really conspired against us, Covid being one, but more importantly, the war and the increase in the cost of commodities. However, we are responding to that. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform reformed the public tender framework so that builders would not be caught for the entirety of the inflationary increase and they could continue with social housing projects. This year we have completed the highest number of social housing projects on record, between approved social housing bodies and local authorities. Likewise, we are making progress on affordable homes and cost rental. There is a suite of measures. The new shared equity scheme is gaining huge traction with young purchasers and the help to buy scheme is impacting on people. I mentioned earlier there has been an increase in the number of first-time buyers.

However, there are still huge challenges. We need to build more houses and get houses built. There are many objections to houses. There are people and politicians objecting to housing developments. Leadership needs to start in this House and come from political leaders in these issues. I believe it is the number one crisis over the constant period that will endure unless we continue to facilitate the construction of houses and not always seek to block, block and block. Younger people, in particular, deserve to have access to affordable houses. We need to get up to 35,000 units at least being built annually. We will do everything we possibly can from a Government perspective. Some €4 billion a year has been allocated to housing - way above what was allocated before this Government came into office. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been very innovative in his response to this.

See this speech in context