Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have some facts here that will spoil the Minister's earlier rendition. Cork County Council will probably not reach its target figures until 2026. I will give some actual facts. It was five short in 2022 and it was 161 short in 2023. Even though the Government's own targets are so low that they will not help solve the housing crisis, the council cannot even meet its targets. We have a situation in Cork City Council where more people are coming on the housing list than houses are being supplied. I am no genius at maths but I do know that if enough houses are not built to house the people who are coming on the list then how will the Government ever clear the backlog that is already there? It is simple mathematics. The Minister is not reaching the targets and the targets are too low.

The next time the Minister quotes objections, he must remember it is where we have objected when the Government tried to sell public land privately. He should go back his party leader, Deputy Micheál Martin and ask him about his brother Seán and other Fianna Fáil councillors who objected to social housing in Cork. I was on the council when they did this. The next time the Minister wants to talk about Sinn Féin, he must make sure to mention the Fianna Fáil objectors all around the country who have objected to planning.

My next point concerns the reason Cork County Council can----

See this speech in context