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

No, I do not. Some very fundamental decisions have been taken that have changed the momentum in respect of housing for the next decade. We are already on track to exceed this year's target of 24,600 under Housing for All. We need to consider that we had two significant lockdowns during the Covid pandemic, which dominated the first year and a half to two years of this Government. Despite the inflationary cycle, the war in Ukraine and the exponential increase in the cost of building materials as we came out of the pandemic, we have continued with new schemes and new approaches and with record legislation in the field of housing. Seventeen Acts in this area have been enacted since this Government came into office. This includes major legislation such as the Land Development Agency Act 2021, which is going to be there for the long term. We have already seen the work of this agency in Shanganagh. Some in the Opposition voted against that but, as of last week, there are now 600 units under way because of the Land Development Agency and the Act establishing it.

The Affordable Housing Act established the affordable housing purchase scheme. The sixth Residential Tenancies Act enhances tenant protections, including the introduction of a 2% rent cap, extended rent pressure zones, RPZs, until the end of 2024, restricted deposits in the context of what landlords can do with deposits, extended notice to quit periods, the winter eviction ban, and a whole range of legislative elements. The help to buy scheme is now a maximum payment of €30,000. This scheme has helped thousands of ordinary people to buy their first home. This year we have had a record 16,000 first-time buyers in the past 12 months. That is the highest number since 2007, which represents 33% of all home purchases, up from 25% in 2015. With social housing, again we are looking at a record this year in the number of social houses that will be brought in through build, lease and acquisition.

About 18,500 social houses have been provided since this Government came into office. This is very significant ramping up of activity on the social housing front. We can also add in 5,000 units in voids that we brought back in. We are producing additional housing. The issue for us is that we need to produce more and we need to produce housing more rapidly. This means more rapid build. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is focusing on that aspect of it now, particularly on public lands, so we can get more rapid-build social housing into play. We are also increasing the supports for homeownership. On top of the help to buy scheme we have the first home scheme, which is at about 700 approvals already. Project Tosaigh, from the Land Development Agency, is also targeting some 5,000 units with existing planning permissions on the private side, which it is hoping to bring into operation to create affordable housing for people. There is a lot of activity there. It is about supply and is about trying to get delivery faster.

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