Aubrey McCarthy (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I am excited to hear about some of the interventions he outlined. In 2016, before I was a Member of the House, I spoke to the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness about how, by coming together with a task force, we can make an absolute difference. The figure then was 6,200 people in emergency accommodation. The then Minister said that we hoped to eradicate homelessness by 2020. Unfortunately, the number has nearly tripled since then. I know the Government has taken significant steps through the Housing for All initiatives but the reality is clear, as the Minister of State outlined, that demand continues to outstrip supply. Rents remain unaffordable for many. Even people who go for cost rental or affordable housing do not have enough and do not qualify. Home ownership feels like an impossible dream for many and it seems we are missing out on a generation of home owners. If we are serious about solving the housing crisis, we must be prepared to take the stronger, more urgent measures the Minister of State outlined.