Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)

I am sure they will because this is an issue about which they have become incredibly exercised, and for good reason. I am using St. Senan's as an example because it was the club that was highlighted in the RTÉ report, but in the immediate surrounding areas 66% of the houses are holiday homes. When a house comes onto the market, young people who might want to stay in the area and are interested in playing GAA or providing a few players for a team in the future are being outbid by people who are coming into the area. I know that in the Minister's county, an innovative suggestion was made regarding holiday homes. I would be interested in knowing what he might have to say about that.

It seems like rural communities are up against it all the time. As I said, they are still trying to make up the deficit because they were creased during the austerity years and that funding has not been made up. As well as increasing funding to the LEADER programme, there needs to be a real and sustained focus on social and affordable homes for working people to rent and buy. At the moment, it feels like the market is very cruel and very much against young people who might want to buy a home and establish themselves in a rural community.

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