Housing affordability
Deputy Doherty attacked rising house prices and emigration pressures. The Tánaiste said housing is the biggest domestic challenge, acknowledged the need for more progress, and pointed to schemes such as Help to Buy and First Home.
I think the Tánaiste has been at the Cabinet table for nearly a decade, nine years or so. In that period, the average house price has increased by €200,000, which is a huge sum of money for any family. That is just the increase for a new home since the Tánaiste took up office around the Cabinet table. Indeed in the last five years, the average house price increased by €100,000. Every five years the price of housing has gone up by €100,000 under his Government. Is it any wonder that there are now 100,000 Irish-born people in Australia? Is it any wonder that so many people do not feel their future is in this country when they cannot afford a house anymore? Young people are struggling to put a roof over their heads and finding that prices are just running out of control. They then see that the Government delivered fewer houses last year than in the previous year. Does the Minister accept that the Government's housing plan has failed young people and those who want to get a roof over their head, in terms of affordability? Does he accept that it is actually going in reverse in delivering houses as testified by the numbers from the CSO which show the Government delivered fewer houses last year and is on course to do the same again this year?
Comment on this
The Deputy is right to highlight housing, which is the biggest domestic challenge we face. There are many young people, both here in Ireland and Irish young people abroad, who want to see and need to see more progress made on housing. I would point out some progress has been made. The Deputy quotes headline figures which are perfectly acceptable to quote. However, of course we have put in place a number of schemes like help to buy and the first home scheme that make a real meaningful difference in the amount of money that somebody actually has to come up with versus the headline price. However, let me be clear, we have to do a lot more. Between now and July we will deliver a new housing action plan. I say the word "action" because we do not need a big, long, wishy-washy document. We need clear actions outlining who will be responsible and when they will be delivered. We also have a chance, through the national development plan review, to invest a lot more in the enablers to scale up housing particularly regarding water, wastewater and energy.