Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Of course the removal of the development levies is a viability measure. It carries with it no guarantee of a reduction in cost to the end buyer. In other words, it does absolutely nothing in terms of the affordability dilemma. I do not know whether to be more taken aback by the Taoiseach's sense of self-congratulation or the obvious inertia in which he wallows at this point. Where I come from, Housing for All is more popularly known as housing for no one. That is the experience of people on the ground. The Government has set targets that are too low and it does not even meet them. There are sky-high house costs and sky-high rents, Today, the Government has come forward and, with a whole fanfare, announced its big idea That big idea is actually a very small idea that is not going to have the required impact to ensure that people will be able to access homes at an affordable level. The Taoiseach clearly has no answer for Jasmine or other families as to where they might go. I ask the Taoiseach why there is no additional money for local authorities and approved housing bodies in the Government's big idea.

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