Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

We all know this idea of tax relief for landlords is being pushed by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, whose rationale for his housing plan looks increasingly like a game of pin the tail on the donkey.

Random interventions are being stuck in random places while the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government hopes the entire housing system does not collapse. Throwing even more money at landlords is another one of his bad ideas. It is straight from the Fianna Fáil tax breaks for developers handbook. Tax breaks for landlords will not build a single additional home. Not one. Why is the Government not directing all of its energy and resources into the one thing that would make a difference, which is building more affordable homes? We know that not one affordable home was delivered in 2020. Not a single one was delivered in 2021. Only 323 affordable purchase homes were delivered last year and in the first six months of this year, just 101 affordable purchase homes were delivered. That means a grand total of 424 affordable purchase homes have been provided under this Government. That is a drop in the ocean. It is utterly pathetic. Will the Taoiseach abandon plans for tax relief for landlords and instead invest this money in building more affordable homes?

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