Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

The Housing Agency report as published had four options. The Government has gone with the option of adapting the existing RPZs because they would expire by the end of the year if nothing was done. This is a strong measure in terms of protection but also in terms of new builds. We need to incentivise future investment in new apartment buildings and housing. I put it to the Deputy that the State is the lead investor at the moment, with €7 billion plus. The Department of finance is saying that we need about €20 billion to get to 50,000 houses per annum for a sustained period of time. Where do people think we are going to get the €20 billion from?

See this speech in context