Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tonight I have witnessed some uncomfortable Members on the Government benches and the lads all know what they have to do. They must defend their man or face an election. That is what has brought them in here because there could not be support for the record of this Minister on those benches. It is either that or the Government Deputies do not hold constituency clinics, answer the phone or look at their emails. If they did they would know what it is like for people out there and they would understand why we are opposing this motion of confidence.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, said that he knows the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, cares but we are not talking about a compassion deficit; we are talking about a competence deficit. It is not personal; it is about policies. The Government's policies, as delivered by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, are failing on every measure. The Minister is responsible for the highest rents, house prices and levels of homelessness ever seen. He is quite the record-breaker and the evidence of this can be seen in all the parents who are saying goodbye to their adult children in Dublin Airport and in those who will spend their last Christmas with their kids as they head abroad in the new year.

Colleagues should not take my word for it; rather they should listen to what the Minister's constituents say. Breda says she was private renting for almost two-and-a-half years and the house was sold and the tenancy notice validated. She is currently couch surfing on her sister-in-law's sofa in Balbriggan. She is registered with Fingal County Council and has been accepted for social housing but she cannot find anywhere to live. She is going to viewings and doing everything she should but she is till sleeping on a sofa. It is not just individuals who are suffering but it is impacting businesses. Tommy Fanning, the head of strategic policy at IDA Ireland said that the lack of housing "is a major problem". It is not a compassion deficit, therefore; it is a competence deficit, which is why this Minister needs to go. While he is at it, he can take the rest of the Government with him.

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