Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the constructive suggestion. It is what many people right across the country are asking, namely: can we pull everybody together and get all the levers that are necessary to address what is still a housing emergency in Ireland? The new Cabinet committee on housing will meet for the first time under this Government next week, I think, on Monday. We are also committed to publishing a revised Housing for All plan as part of that and we can take that suggestion on board.

The Deputy is correct. Whoever the Minister for housing is and whatever the Department, there are other levers that need to be pulled. The lack of wastewater treatment plants is a real constraint on delivery in rural Ireland and smaller towns. That is an area we want to make progress on.

There are enablers, as the Deputy pointed out, in the delivery of housing. I will certainly discuss the Deputy's suggestion with the Taoiseach.

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