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

Deputy Bacik's contention that it is our policy in some way to be over-reliant on the private sector again does not stand up. Last year, 30,000 new homes were built and more than one third of them were some form of public housing, whether that was social housing, cost rental, affordable or some other assistance from the State in some way. This is not the policy of a Government that seeks to be over-reliant on the private sector. We do, though, believe in private property and we do believe in home ownership. Sinn Féin has a motion in the Dáil this week to abolish the Help-to-Buy and first home schemes. These are schemes that are helping thousands of young people and young couples to get their feet on the property ladder and to buy their first homes.

See this speech in context