Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I again raise in this House the housing crisis this country is currently facing. Since my election to Dublin City Council in 2014 and to this Chamber last year, this issue has been at the forefront of debate and has yet to be tackled in any meaningful way. Last weekend I read reports of a 4.3% increase in house prices for the first quarter of this year.There is no way a person who is trying to buy a house can save as fast as house prices are rising. The Government has paid lip service to the notion of addressing this issue. There have been myriad reports and press conferences, but for a young person who is seeking to buy a house, the actions of the Minister and the Government are of little comfort. I have always been sceptical of the help-to-buy scheme and have voiced my opinion in the House that it simply amounts to a €50 million bonus for developers. The quarterly increase in house prices has affirmed my belief that the route the Government and the Minister are taking to increase supply and generate affordable homes is wrong and flawed. We must start to consider novel and inventive ways to increase supply, ranging from VAT and planning reforms to having more economical certification methods. It is a sad day when a generation with decent, well paid jobs are unable to own their own homes. Another concern for new home buyers is that they are paying too much for their mortgages than their European counterparts. I hope the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Michael Noonan, will take this concern on board and address it.