Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Of course I understand the magnitude of the problem. I do not think anybody living in this country - certainly nobody who runs for election or gets elected - could not understand the magnitude of the housing crisis we are facing. It is the biggest social issue with which the Government and the country is currently grappling. It affects people in all sorts of different ways, whether it is people who cannot afford to buy their first home, people who are paying massive rents or people in their late 20s or late 30s still living in their childhood bedroom. It affects people in so many different ways and it is holding us back as a country, an economy and a society.

That is why we are determined, as a Government, to turn the corner on the housing crisis as soon as we can. Housing for All is our plan to do that and it is showing results. Our main housing target last year will not just be met; it will be exceeded. We targeted the construction of 25,000 new homes last year. We do not have the numbers in yet but it looks like it will be closer to 28,000, so that main housing target was not only met, it was exceeded last year. Of course, our target for this year is to build approximately 29,000 new homes. I want that to be exceeded this year as well, by the way. We are working really hard to make sure the slowdown in commencements does not result in a slowdown in completions.

The Deputy might not know this but 16,000 people, couples and families bought their first home last year. That was the highest in 16 years. I know it is cold comfort to people who cannot buy a home yet, but the highest number in 15 or 16 years - 16,00 people - is not a small thing to have achieved.

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