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

This is unfortunately a very populist moment we live in. It is increasingly hard for even the most important issues to be debated in a serious way. For example, during the roll-out of the vaccines, even one of the most successful programmes in the world was relentlessly attacked in political and media circles for failing to deliver everything immediately. According to this approach, until everything has been achieved nothing can be acknowledged and there is no such thing as a complex answer.

There is a clear and widening divide between those in this House who want to serve the people and those who are only interested in playing cynical politics. There is a difference between those believe ours is a country which has achieved great things but must overcome urgent challenges and those who will mount any passing platform to claim nothing has ever been achieved in what they claim to be a failed state. They fake empathy for every group but systematically fail to show how their growing cascade of promises can be achieved. We are perhaps unique in Europe in having an Opposition which stands on every side of most issues: claiming to support action on climate but touring the country to find groups who want to hear them oppose every concrete step to combat the climate emergency; pretending to support Europe but systematically voting against it and condemning it at every opportunity; and showing mock concern for workers but constantly attacking policies central to supporting thousands of well-paid jobs.

Housing is perhaps the area where the Opposition trots out its rehearsed anger most but where its actions are almost breathtakingly cynical. A collection of people who angrily demanded we implement the disastrous zero-Covid policy has not the slightest credibility to anyone who cares to take the time to examine exactly what they propose when attacking the Government and its Ministers. It is important for us all to note that Opposition Members are not the slightest bit interested in more homes being delivered. The sole reason we are having this debate is they thought it would give them another opportunity to attack the Government. Their problem is they are attacking a Minister who is already making a significant positive impact. The measures he has put in place are starting to deliver.

Any honest debate about housing must start from the central fact that there has been a major increase in the demand for homes due to a rising population and a rising number of separate households. Within this, we have the exceptional response required to deal with supporting people whose homes are under attack in a vicious invasion and war against a democratic state. Any honest debate about housing will hear the stories of those in difficulty but also acknowledge the full picture. It will hear about those who find house prices impossible for them but acknowledge that new policies are having an impact, with 16,000 first-time buyers in the past 12 months. Honest debate must acknowledge that of all the public policy areas, this is one which requires sustained action for reform and investment over a significant period.

The Housing for All policy agreed by the Government and being implemented is unprecedented in scale and ambition. It represents a radical direct public intervention in the housing market. The claims it is an ideologically market-driven strategy are manifest nonsense. The Government has agreed and put in place funding of €4 billion per year to implement the plan. For a dramatic demonstration of the emptiness of Opposition housing policies, look no further than the fact that this is 40% bigger than the amount called for by Sinn Féin. When it comes to public investment in housing, we are delivering significantly more than the Opposition demanded.

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