When Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil joined together with the Green Party in coalition four years ago, they promised that it would be the Government to fix housing. This was a very bold claim from the parties that had, in fact, created the housing crisis in the first place. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have had more than a decade to solve housing but it have only made it worse. Now, as their Government heads for the exit door, their record of failure is clear and people live with it every day.

House prices are through the roof and are far beyond the reach of working people. Rip-off rents are at record levels and continue to soar and tenants are facing the prospect of eviction. A level of homelessness, which we never ever thought we would see, is increasing month after month. While so many struggle to put and keep a secure roof over their heads, the Government's affordable housing schemes make a mockery of the word "affordable" by hanging price tags of more than half a million euro on so-called affordable homes in some areas. It has courted and backed vulture and cuckoo funds, promoted build to rent and tolerated the bulk buying of homes from under the noses of first-time buyers. Yet the Taoiseach and Micheál Martin spin the line that the Government has turned the corner on housing. It has not. So far, their Government has delivered fewer homes this year than last year. That is not turning a corner; it is called going backwards.

The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, spent months promising new housing targets but Micheál Martin was not best pleased. After all, joint housing targets simply draw attention to their joint failure. A sham fight ensued with petty politicking and then the Tánaiste buckled. Now, in the dying week of the Government, they have finally set their new housing targets and, lo and behold, they are too low again. They are 20% lower than what the Government's own Housing Commission states is needed. This demonstrates why people cannot afford another government led by Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil because the housing crisis will continue and worsen, house prices, rents and homelessness will continue to increase, thereby leaving more working people locked out of affordable housing and with what choice? The box room of their parent's house or getting fleeced in the rental sector if they can find somewhere or being forced to emigrate. That is what the Government offers.

The good news is that people can put an end to the Government's housing disaster in this election.

Hear, hear.

They can choose to back a real housing plan from Sinn Féin. This is a plan to make housing affordable, to bring home ownership back into the reach of working people, to get families off council waiting lists and into homes, to end long-term homelessness and to give hope back to a generation so badly failed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. This is hope that they can have a home of their own and build a good life here in Ireland.

Léiríonn Fine Gael agus Fianna Fáil nach réiteodh siad ceist na tithíochta. Tá sé thar am don bhunathrú a leagtar amach i bplean Shinn Féin a chuirfeadh tithe inacmhainne ar fáil agus a chuirfeadh deireadh leis an ngéarchéim tithíochta. Workers and families cry out for affordable secure homes and yet the Taoiseach again stands over housing targets too low to meet housing need. Can he explain that failure again, please?

As I rise, I am very conscious of the funeral today of a giant of the press gallery, David Davin-Power. I know I join colleagues across this House in extending my sympathies to David's wife Dearbhla, to his five children and to his wider friends and family. I know we all think of David and his family at this very sad time. We all remember him fondly in this House, as well as his incredible contribution.

I thank Deputy McDonald for raising what is an incredibly important issue, namely, housing. I agree housing is the biggest challenge that faces this generation and it must be the number one priority for government, but we are making progress. The Deputy's failure to acknowledge that progress is not borne out by the realities being experienced by people across this country. There are now 500 individuals or couples buying their first home every week. Deputy McDonald never seems to meet these people but I meet them regularly. People are buying houses each and every week, getting their homes, moving out of the box room, moving in with their partner and moving into a place they can start their career from. We have had housing commencement figures that are really quite extraordinary. Construction is now starting on over 49,000 homes so far this year. This is important progress and something that should give cause for optimism.

Of course, all of this is backed up by the largest housing budget ever in budget 2025. This coming year will see a record €6 billion of capital investment in housing. That is up 20% on last year's allocation. In addition to that, unlike Sinn Féin's plans, which would pull the rug from under first-time buyers, we are actually extending the first home scheme out to 2029 and extending the help to buy scheme, which is a scheme that has helped 50,000 first-time buyers. Sinn Féin wants to abolish it for some reason. We are also providing an extra €80 million for the first home scheme as well. We are increasing the renter's tax credit both now and again into next year and today, we agreed housing targets that roughly speaking will see, for every one home that was delivered during the lifetime of this Government, an ability to deliver two over the course of the next five years. That is genuine progress.

The Deputy is quite right that people will have time very shortly to give their view and verdict not just on our housing plans but also on her party's plans.

Hear, hear.

I very much look forward to that as well because people watching should know Sinn Féin wants to abolish the Land Development Agency, an agency that is now capitalised to deliver 18,000 homes. What is Sinn Féin's priority when it gets into government? It is to spend God knows how long passing legislation to scrap that agency when it is building homes. I have been there with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, in Shanganagh in Shankill where we have seen people moving into their new homes.

The second question I think people will ask Deputy McDonald is when she is going to tell the people of Ireland what issues the banks have raised with Sinn Féin about its housing plan. She told the people on RTÉ's "This Week" the banks have a couple of issues but the party thinks it can overcome them all. What are the issues? When she gets to her feet, will she please let us know what the issues are? Did the banks raise one issue? Did they raise five? Did they raise three?

This is time for questions for the Taoiseach.

People will not get a mortgage on them.

What are the issues? People trying to get a mortgage want to know that. It is about a change here. It is not going to be just about Sinn Féin asking me questions. We have questions about its housing plan as well.

We will answer them.

Maybe after the election.

Members, please.

The third thing is what does Sinn Féin say-----

Sit over here.

-----to the garda married to the nurse who will not be able to qualify for assistance under its plan, because under our plan-----

Not true.

It is true, Deputy Ó Broin.

Please.

People earning over €90,000.

Please, a little order.

Do not be shouting now. Under our plan, people can get up to €30,000 back through the help to buy scheme. Under the Sinn Féin plan, people on a combined income of €95,000 will receive no support if a house price exceeds €450,000. Under our plan, people who try to buy a house worth €450,000 can get that €30,000 back. Under the Sinn Féin plan they can only get €4,500 back, so yes, there is going to be a choice on offer to the people and yes, Sinn Féin is offering change but it is just not change the people want.

The Taoiseach's very great problem is nobody believes him.

Hear, hear.

Let us see.

We will see all right.

We will see.

We will see all right. I look forward-----

The humility is gone already.

I look forward to the debate that will ensue-----

Me too.

-----when we place our costed, thoughtful, deliverable plan-----

If only it had the plan years ago.

-----that is directed at delivering affordable homes for families, as well as affordable rents and finally tackling the scourge of homelessness. It is a plan rooted in concern for citizens and communities and not kowtowing to the high and mighty vulture funds, cuckoo funds, the big developers and the corporate landlords. That is the Fine Gael way, a Cheann Comhairle, and I look forward to the debate and challenging the Taoiseach on that.

Me too.

It is a fact the Government's belated housing targets are 20% below what is required according to its own Housing Commission.

These are not Sinn Féin figures; they are the Government's figures. The Government has yet again failed to recognise the scale of the crisis and the need we face. I asked the Taoiseach to explain the fact that he has undershot by 20%. The memo was brought to Cabinet. As of yet, I have not seen how many social or affordable housing units are contained in the figures. The Taoiseach might enlighten us on that. On the bigger issue, how is it that, after years of hot air from the Government, even as we exit this Dáil and the Taoiseach walks out the door for the final time, he still undersells and underplays and cannot even get his targets right? For God's sake, the Government is hardly going to build the necessary number of homes when it cannot even do the simple maths.

Hear, hear.

The Deputy should be down in the Abbey.

Deputy McDonald is terribly confident about the outcome of the next election when she says I am walking out the door for the final time and all of this sort of stuff. It is good to see the arrogance is back. The reality is that this Government took a responsible decision today. We decided to set housing targets for the next five years to show people how, over the period from now to 2030, we can deliver 303,000 homes, an average of 50,500 a year. That is going to make a real and meaningful difference to people right across this country. Effectively, it will mean a doubling of new housing supply over that time period. That will enable more first-time buyers to buy their homes. It will enable us to provide more social homes than ever before. We are not coming at this from a standing start. Already we are seeing an increase in mortgage drawdowns and in the number of first-time buyers. We are seeing 500 new individuals and couples buying their first home each and every week. That is progress. There is a lot more to do. The country has the resources to do it. We have the plan to do it.

You have had 14 years.

We can credibly show people how we are going to do it. Sinn Féin is still refusing to answer the question of the issues the banks raised with it. When will the Deputy tell us what they are? When will she answer those questions?