Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

B'fhéidir nach raibh an Teachta ag éisteacht le mo fhreagra ar an gceist sin. I answered it very clearly. We have set targets. We are using modern methods of construction. I suggest the Deputy be careful not to blur the lines, if I may. The emergency response to provide safe harbour to our friends from Ukraine, as Deputy O'Dowd has eloquently said, is separate to what we are doing on delivery of Housing for All. It is in addition to Housing for All. Some of the accommodation we will provide on a temporary or medium-term basis would not be appropriate for permanent or social housing, such as the refurbishment programme.

This is an emergency. Some 62,000 Ukrainians have come to this country since February or March. We have had 15,000 other citizens who are fleeing war and persecution in other areas of the world. We know in our history as a State what it is like to be persecuted. We know what it is like to have countries turn their back on our people who had to flee persecution in this country. I never wish to see a situation whereby we, as a people, turn our backs on people fleeing persecution and this Government will certainly never do so.

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