Micheál Martin

I will make this point to the Deputy. Thirty-six thousand houses were built last year. Supply is the key here. Labour keeps opposing measures that will add supply. The Deputy talks about an eviction ban. She said it would slow down homelessness. It would slow down supply, and did slow down supply. Be in no doubt that supply is the key. We need to get to 50,000 houses a year.

That needs to be balanced with public sector investment and private sector investment. "Private sector contribution" should not be seen as a dirty term, as some on the left see it.

It is a very important contributor to getting to 50,000 or 60,000 houses per annum. The momentum is very strong now. Unfortunately, this crisis in the Middle East could be problematic in time.

We need that war to end. We have built about 170,000 houses since 2020 and 50,000 apartments have been built. There were 8,000 permissions in quarter 4 of 2025, up 20%, and 20,000 houses were granted permission in 2025, which is the highest number since 2009. Commencement notices were up 184% in quarter 1 of 2026. Real dwelling investment was up by close to 20% in the first three quarters of 2025.…

I am not missing anything here. That is significant because it means the measures we have introduced are helping first-time buyers, albeit at prices that are still too high, but the only way we will deal with that price issue is by having more supply. We need a more collective approach to housing supply and not to oppose every single thing that the Government brings in. In terms of the reforms, t…

Housing supply is the key-----

-----and we need to build more houses. Labour's policies would actually reduce housing supply. There is no question.

As to the other point on homelessness, the profile of homelessness has shifted dramatically. There is no question. That is the reality.

If you look at the figures-----

I am not blaming anybody. Deputy Ó Broin is wrong.

The biggest factor, if you look at the figures----

Deputy Ó Broin, you are not leader of Sinn Féin yet. By the looks of things, you will be a long time waiting.

What I want to say is this. If I could speak to Deputy Bacik-----

Sorry.

The fundamental change in homelessness, and it is still an issue, without question, is the fact that less than 50% are now Irish citizens. Migration has impacted hugely on homelessness.

The facts speak for themselves. If we cannot have an honest debate-----

Look, do not be getting into high dudgeon now. That is the truth, unfortunately, whether Deputy Bacik likes it or not.

The Deputy can try and make all the commentary she likes about that, and I say that-----

Look at the Dublin figures alone.

It is out there-----

First of all, the short-term letting and tourism Bill will provide the statutory basis for the introduction of a register of all short-term lets in Ireland. That will be accompanied by a planning statement from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, governing that entire framework. That will broadly restrict the approval of new planning permissions for short-term l…

Absolutely, and that is what we are doing. We are legislating in terms of Airbnbs in any area above 20,000 people. That is a very significant change, and rightly so because the priority is housing. Our priority is housing and will remain housing. There is an issue of balance here in terms of the proposal and this would be a major step forward when we bring in this legislation-----

-----in terms of anywhere over 20,000 for cities and large towns. That will be significant progress.

We will have specific policies for the Gaeltacht areas. Tá siad tábhachtach. Tá na hAirí, na Teachtaí Calleary agus Browne, i dteagmháil maidir leis na Gaeltachtaí. Admhaím go bhfuil cás faoi leith ann ó thaobh lucht na Gaeltachta a labhraíonn an teanga go rialta agus gur cóir go mbeadh seans acu tithe a cheannach nó a thógáil ina n-áit dúchais féin.

The entire defective concrete blocks schemes have moved on apace over the past number of years and that needs to be acknowledged as well.