Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Housing, led by my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien, remains a key priority of the Government. The strategy Housing for All delivers on the programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system. A suite of measures, including cost-rental, affordable and social housing, is being provided for and significant progress has been made, but more needs to be done. That is acknowledged. More will be done.

I appreciate the Deputy's bona fides on the Dublin allowance for staff. Whatever is done for one sector within the public service would, in the interest of fairness, have to be done across all sectors. I previously pointed to the fact that the improvements in pay for staff are on a par with, if not greater than, those currently provided for through the London allowance, as the Deputy referred to it. I get the principle of what the Deputy is saying but believe his proposal could have ramifications across the entire public sector. Therefore, it is not as clear-cut as it appears.

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