The Tánaiste has accused Sinn Féin of serving up housing policies based on “empty rhetoric and soundbites”.
Micheál Martin laid the charge during fiery Dáil exchanges on housing provision with Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty.
In response, Mr Doherty accused the Government of repeatedly failing to meet its own targets for building social and affordable homes.
He said the coalition’s only answer in the face of its own poor performance was to blame Sinn Féin for the country’s housing crisis.
“The housing crisis is worsening every day that this Government is in office, more and more young people are being forced to live at home with their parents well into their 30s now or to take the choice to emigrate,” said Mr Doherty.
“More and more people, working people, as they get closer to retirement are being locked into an insecure and overpriced rental market, and they’re fearful for their future.
“Your Government is failing, and it’s failing to deliver the genuine affordable homes that working people need. It’s widely acknowledged now, Tánaiste, widely acknowledged, that your housing targets are far, far too low, wholly inadequate to meet the needs of the actual demand of housing right across the state.
“And yet, despite this, despite all of this, your Government refused to increase housing investment above these inadequate targets in the recent budget. And, each year, you failed to even reach those targets.
“So will you finally, finally accept, Tanaiste that your plan is failing.”
Mr Martin insisted Mr Doherty was “wrong”.
“And no shouting and roaring is going to change the fact that this Government has significantly turned the dial in relation to house construction,” he added.
“In terms of over 30,000 houses constructed last year, and we will exceed targets again this year.”
Mr Martin claimed Sinn Féin was “anti-first-time buyer” and also “serial objectors” to planned new housing developments.
“You have nothing but a collection of soundbites and a few pages, you haven’t put in any hard work,” he told Mr Doherty.
“And when it comes to young people in this country, look at Sinn Féin policies – you don’t do anything for first-time buyers; your policies are anti-first-time buyers.”
The Tánaiste added: “It’s about time that Sinn Féin came forward with substance and not empty rhetoric and soundbites.”
Mr Doherty said Mr Martin’s only response to the problems with housing was to blame Sinn Féin.
“Rents are up, homelessness is up, house prices are up, but somehow it’s all always Sinn Féin’s fault. The dogs in the street know that the targets that you have set are far too low,” he said.
As the heated exchanges during Leaders’ Questions continued, the Tánaiste again moved to defend the Government’s record as Mr Doherty repeatedly interjected from the opposition benches.
“Shouting is not a policy and shouting and roaring doesn’t deal with the substance of provision,” Mr Martin told him.
“I’ve always said housing is the biggest social issue facing this country. That’s why Fianna Fáil took up the portfolio at the beginning of this Government. We didn’t take on an easy task here, we knew the challenge.”
