Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I believe we will exceed the target for this year. I accept that the targets need to significantly increase. There is a political consensus in relation to that. There is a body of work under way for quite a period of time and, for clarity, the revised targets will be published this year. That is the position. I hope that the draft national planning framework, which I believe is due to be published next month, will provide an opportunity during the summer months for consultation and engagement, with revised targets then published later this year.

The crucial question for every party in this House - Deputy Bacik has brought forward proposals and we bring forward proposals - is "how". How are you going to increase the supply? What are we going to do to get to where we need to get to? It sounds to me like we have a similar landing zone. I believe we need to build a quarter of a million more homes between 2025 and 2030. I read comments from the Housing Commission today that seem to be not that different. I read comments from the local election manifestos of different parties that seem to be not that different. It is not good enough for us just to say that, though. We have to show how we are going to get there, how we are going to provide the number of apprentices, how we are going to increase the trades, how we are going to have a planning system that works, and what the composition of that will be between social, affordable and private homes as well.

The Deputy talks about developer-led planning. What developer-led planning means is people building homes for people to be able to buy.

See this speech in context