Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his extended reply. I acknowledge the work that has been done and agree that considerable progress has been made, and is being made, in respect of the provision of houses to the community despite the Covid-19 pandemic and all the other obstacles that were in the way. It is easy to say this is not enough. Of course, it is not enough but, at the same time, a considerable amount has been achieved in very difficult circumstances.

One thing that has recently come to my attention and that of everyone else, including the Minister, is the intervention of investment funds in the market. They have been buying up houses on the basis that they are to be let. Of course, to a large extent they control the market because they are letting houses to people at exorbitant rents. That is not getting any easier as time goes by. These funds are letting properties to people who have no other options. These are people who do not qualify for local authority housing because their income is too high and who do not qualify for any other form of assistance. They cannot qualify for a loan from a bank or local authority because their income is not high enough. I ask that a particular look be taken at those sets of circumstances with a view to eliminating any repressive or regressive moves that seem to militate against the people who are attempting to provide themselves with a home.

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