Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It wrecked the construction industry. As the Minister knows well, when Fianna Fáil left office in 2011 the country was broken. It was in bankruptcy and in a troika programme. Nearly 20% of people were in unemployment and we had a construction industry in shambles. The economy has been rebuilt. We have seen seven wasted years of prosperity since 2016 and we have seen a failure by successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil governments to deliver the homes people need. That is what is driving the current crisis. It is why we are seeing record numbers of young people forced either to emigrate or still living at home in their parents' houses in their childhood bedrooms.

That is why we are seeing record numbers of children in hotel rooms in homelessness. That it shameful and the Minister has to take responsibility. We saw this week a real hands-off approach by the Government, with the three party leaders abroad in New York and the Minister for Health away when there is a healthcare crisis. At least the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is here in this House but he must take responsibility for factually verifiable failures in respect of housing ambition and delivery.

Furthermore, the Labour Party did support the Land Development Agency because it supports measures that will genuinely deliver for the people we represent.

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