As we close out the year, I thank those who keep the Houses running every day, including the ushers, administrative, catering and maintenance staff, and I express solidarity with the Oireachtas broadcast staff in particular. We appreciate all of their great professionalism and patience.

I want to end the year by raising an issue I have raised throughout 2025, which is housing – the civil rights issue of this generation. I want to raise it at an EU level. This week the first EU housing plan was published, which I welcome. It puts housing firmly on the European agenda, giving the EU real proposals to act to deliver affordable homes. I commend the immense contribution of my colleague, our MEP, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and his S and D Group colleagues who delivered the first ever EU Commissioner for housing. Without them, this report would not exist. We all acknowledge that housing is not just a serious and vital national issue; it is a European one.

When food security was threatened, the EU responded with the Common Agricultural Policy. Now the EU must act to guarantee housing security for all. There are welcome proposals in the report but we need more ambition from the Commission, governments,and the entire EU.

As Ireland will host the European Presidency next year, will the Tánaiste commit to hosting an EU housing summit in Ireland? Will he make housing a central theme of the Presidency and action on this report a central purpose and goal of our Presidency?

I wish a happy Christmas to the Deputy, her family and her Labour Party colleagues. I too welcome the developments at an EU level this week. I acknowledge the contribution of her party colleague Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. She will also understand why I acknowledge the contribution of Regina Doherty, who is on that committee in the European Parliament. We now have a housing Commissioner and a committee of the Parliament on housing. We do have plans to host an EU housing summit. The jury is still slightly out on whether that will fall to the Cypriot Presidency or the Irish Presidency, but the main thing is that it be held. I would like it to be held during the Irish Presidency if at all possible. The Government would like that as well. We will work on that, and we should work across this Dáil to see how we can use the opportunity of having the EU Presidency to really put a focus on housing.

Housing is an emergency in Ireland. That is absolutely the case but it is also very interesting when we all engage at a European level to see that it is also an emergency in many European countries. There is a role for the European Union to play in dealing with the emergency and it is also a very sensible suggestion that we learn from each other as member states.