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

I have set out the facts for the Taoiseach. I have acknowledged and put it to him that he did respond in 2021 on the back of the Maynooth situation. I also reminded him that, at the time, he was advised that he had not gone far enough. I also told him that, in July of last year, Department officials told the Minister that the regulations were failing. They said very clearly that funds were continuing to buy up family homes. The Taoiseach says that he wants this to stop - I presume we are all in agreement on that - so I cannot for the life of me understand why he proposes to vote down a proposal that would do just that. He cannot have it both ways. The Taoiseach cannot say that he wishes this behaviour to stop and then fail to take the very measures that would stop that same behaviour. The bottom line is that the losers in this scenario are hard-pressed families and workers who, as the Taoiseach will know, have scrimped and saved only to find that despite all the rhetoric from the Government, vulture funds can still swoop in and buy up family homes.

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