The Taoiseach has accused Sinn Féin of placing slogans ahead of substance as he renewed hostilities with Mary Lou McDonald over Ireland’s housing crisis.
Micheál Martin and Mrs McDonald were again involved in combative exchanges in the Dáil on their respective proposals to tackle homelessness, supply issues and spiralling rents and purchase costs.
The pressure on the housing system is set to intensify further as tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees arrive in Ireland.
On Wednesday, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said 35,000 additional homes may be required in addition to the Government’s plan to build 33,000 per annum under its flagship Housing for All strategy.
Mrs McDonald used her contribution to leaders’ questions in the Dáil to accuse the Government of serial failure on housing. She said the Ukraine refugee crisis was exposing the deficiencies in the current approach.
“We are now dealing with crisis upon crisis,” she said.
“We are dealing with a massive housing emergency and the scale of the government response needs to match that reality.
“It is unconscionable to blindly continue with policies that are so clearly failing and the evidence of this failure is clear to be seen every single day.”
Mr Martin responded in robust terms. He claimed Sinn Féin was contributing to supply problems by repeatedly opposing housing developments that involved private sector involvement at local government level.
He said Sinn Féin had consistently opposed Government plans to make homes more affordable.
“It’s about slogans, not substance all of the time in terms of housing policy,” he told Mrs McDonald.
The Taoiseach said the Housing of All plan was “very substantive, well-researched and evidence-based”.
“I have seen nothing in comparison from your party in response to it,” he added.
“I’ve seen nothing in terms of solutions. We all know the reality. I’ve accepted that housing is the biggest single crisis facing this government.”
Mrs McDonald rejected the Taoiseach’s claims.
“It’s very clear, Taoiseach, again that you cannot defend your Government’s record on housing, how could you,” she said.
“Ten thousand homeless is not a slogan, house prices through the roof – up 20% in rural areas – is no slogan and generations locked out of home ownership and facing extortionate rents is no slogan.
“And 35,000 additional homes now required according to your own minister for housing on the radio this morning to accommodate families from Ukraine, my God Taoiseach that’s not a slogan.
“Taoiseach, these are realities. I am inviting you as the head of government to meet those realities head on.
“Your Housing for All plan is in tatters. It was never fit for purpose to begin with but, my God, now as we deal with crisis upon a crisis, a refugee crisis upon a housing crisis, the game is up.”
