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

The public knows that too. Let us show some respect to voters. That respect should extend to the fact that when Members bring forward alternatives, they should stack up and be implementable. If you support social housing across this country, do not object to it. Do not let your councillors object time after time or find any reason to object. Do not vote against legislation that will fast-track the delivery of social and affordable housing. Do not vote against legislation that means we can build on State-owned land and deliver 100% affordable and social housing.

The Social Democrats say they want cost rental. The Government delivered that within 12 months where it had not existed, but the Social Democrats voted against the Affordable Housing Act that sets up cost rental via a national scheme across the board. When I meet, as I do from time to time, Social Democrat councillors around the country going to the opening of new housing estates, I will welcome them.

We have to ensure we are delivering the supply we need across the board. Thankfully, we are doing it this year. Is it enough? Of course it is not. Do we want to build up capacity to build more? Of course we do. That is the purpose of this plan. You do not go from 20,000 homes in one year to 40,000 the next. It is not doable but we have shown a way to get there by putting home ownership back at the centre of housing solutions. Our young women and young men working and renting who want to own their homes can now do that. There have been 16,000 first-time buyers in this past year. The first home scheme is the State stepping in to take the equity between the finance someone has and what they need. We have done it. It is in place and more and more people are getting out of that rental trap and accessing the scheme.

What do People Before Profit and Sinn Féin do? Against, against, against. It is a political judgment being made by many in the Opposition to slow progress so there is not progress in two years’ time. Colleagues have a responsibility to ensure our citizens have homes and the number one priority for the Government is to tackle the homelessness crisis. We will do everything and I as Minister will work every hour that is sent to make sure we turn around that situation. Fundamentally, it is about supplying new homes.

I ask Deputies Boyd Barrett, Paul Murphy and others to talk to their councillors around the country about new homes. A letter arrived in Carlow County Council on 18 November from one of their councillors objecting to 42 senior citizens’ houses in Carlow. Why? What can be wrong with that? I ask Sinn Féin what is wrong with vacancy grants? What is wrong with giving people the support they need to tackle vacancy through Croí Conaithe grants? We have a suite of measures in our plan. We are focused on delivering it and will continue to do so. I thank colleagues for their support and their contributions.

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