Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his comments. What is happening is deeply frustrating. Government policy should not rely on luck. Indeed, the people of Ireland should not have to rely on luck when it comes to housing, but it is too often the case. I believe the Minister will agree with me because we are now starting to see the unravelling of the housing policies of successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments. What has come to pass is that the relationships between the parties are coming apart. We are seeing discontent, tension and thinking-out-loud policy. We are now asking young people to sleep in sheds and we are talking about the eradication of rent pressure zones and tax cuts for developers. I am starting to wonder whether we are talking to the same people in Ireland. When it comes to housing, is the Government hearing from the same people we are hearing from, the people who cannot cope anymore with the precarity of their living situation? They are either homeless or facing the threat of homelessness. They may be ten years or more on a social housing list. Children and families are in family hubs, which were meant to be temporary solutions, despite it being years on. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, said this morning it is unacceptable, but these policies are accepting it. Not only are the policies accepting the situation, they are also doubling down on it. It is worsening around us, not improving, so it is very disingenuous for the Government to say it is committed to improvement and seeing effects. It is not committed to these because the policy is not changing. The precarity of so many people's living circumstances will continue to worsen. That is a fact because we rely on the private market to meet a public need. That is on the Government.

We are here and we are ready. The Taoiseach said yesterday he is open to and wants a debate on housing. Where are we? What are we doing? It is so disingenuous to think this is a debate on housing. We are not talking about policy here. The Minister arrived in for the end of the debate. I believe things can be better. We and others in this Chamber are here to work constructively on solutions, but it has to start with an acknowledgment that where things are right now with housing policy is very concerning and does not seem to be getting any better.

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