James Bannon (Fine Gael)

The motion states that we still have over 100,000 people waiting for housing but that figure only includes those who have made applications to local authorities. There are many genuine cases of people who require housing but who have not applied to their local authority for accommodation. They are living in substandard conditions and one has only to visit certain inner city and rural areas to see the evidence for this. The amendment lacks integrity, truth, honesty and courage by the Government to admit its neglect of housing policy.

We must examine other issues, including the promise to provide 2,000 extra gardaí. How many have been provided?