Joe O'Toole (Independent)

No, not the drink, the pizza. We are anti-drink at the moment. We cannot mention drink. I am talking about the basic margherita pizza, which one can get anywhere in Italy for about €5.50 to €6, whereas it is difficult to get one for less than €7 here. To make comparisons, we should have access to lists showing the price of baskets of commonly purchased goods in the various European Union countries. I have noticed convergence in some areas. More surveys such as the Forfás report published last week would increase downward pressure on prices.

Recently, I was asked about the housing initiative to which the Minister of State referred. People have short memories. One of the commitments made in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness negotiated three or four years ago was that at least 50,000 housing units would be built each year. Every commentator on the PPF said this objective could not and would not be achieved. I remember trying to explain the issue to trade unionists opposed to the measure. It is a tribute to social partnership and a major achievement that 58,000 housing units were built last year and more than 50,000 in each of the two previous years. I do not want to return to the discussion on who owns development land and its appalling manipulation. At least we are making progress and the new initiative on social housing will deliver even greater advances.