Ivana Bacik: Government Prioritises Market Over People

Go raibh maith agat, Ciann Comhairle. I'd like to welcome our Polish community and also welcome a group of students in with me from Trinity and from schools in Dublin and Wexford. Taoiseach, far too many people in Ireland today are suffering the trauma of losing their home and that's a direct result of your government's policy. You're prioritizing the market over people. You did it in March, incentivizing landlords to evict with new rent laws, and you're doing it again now, this week, telling 16,000 Ukrainian refugees to fend for themselves in an overheated rental market or return to a war zone. So much for solidarity with Ukraine. In Dublin, even if your budget is 1500 euro per month, there are just two two-bed properties for rent on daf.ie today. Just two, Taoiseach. The housing crisis has been normalized on your watch. As a local TD, it's getting harder and harder to support people through this deepening crisis. But each year you're pursuing the same policies and things are getting worse. So we're now hearing from constituents who are even grappling with suicidal thoughts as they and their families face the horror of eviction. Threshold supported more than 10,000 households in the first three months of this year alone. That is 3% of all households in the private rented sector in just 12 weeks who are struggling. People can't cope. Taoiseach, I know you would love for homeless figures to reduce, but you're doing nothing about it. And you must face up to the fact that your policies are making things worse. And that there are people in Ireland who are profiting from this social disaster. Because scarcity drives profits up for land hoarders and higher rents benefit price-gouging landlords. Yet you are subsidizing those who are speculating on this social disaster. And when you pat yourself on the back, as I know you will, for mortgage drawdown figures today, you're missing the point. You need to close the door to lobbyists and open your eyes to the solutions before you. Because we know what works. The eviction ban slowed the pace of homelessness. And in the 60s, under a Fianna Fáil government, the National Building Agency, a state construction company, built homes at scale, lifting thousands of families out of squalor. Yet you ridicule Labour's proposal to transform the Land Development Agency into a new state construction company. So your policies are failing people, Taoiseach. You're failing the five and a half thousand children in homelessness, failing the 60% of renters unable to afford rent, and failing the 60,000 on the housing list. Yesterday, Cabinet failed once again to agree measures to stop Airbnb and short-term let companies from mopping up supply of homes. And at the same time, you decided to throw thousands of Ukrainian refugees to the mercy of the rental market. You've passed laws unleashing a tsunami of eviction notices, and your solutions are shed sits and tax breaks for developers. So Taoiseach, when will you take radical action to end the housing disaster, stop evictions of renters and of refugees, and ramp up the Land Development Agency to build homes at scale? Taoiseach, to respond. I fundamentally disagree with your proposition. The state is investing the majority of funding in housing right now, and has been for the last three to four years. Your presentation about saying that we're favoring the private market over the public doesn't add up. It just doesn't add up. It is record levels of state investment. Nearly up to 10 billion this year. 10 billion, not tax breaks at all. Come on, you know it. You know it now. That's untrue. Let's have an honest debate about it. The only thing you've produced in your policy responses is a state development housing agency. That's all. Not fleshed out, one paragraph, as far as I can see in it. No, I make this point to you. 36,000 houses were built last year. Supply is the key here. You keep opposing measures that would add supply. You talk about an eviction ban. You said it would slow down homelessness. It would slow down supply. It did slow down supply. Be in no doubt. Supply is the key. We need to get to 50,000 houses a year. And you need to balance that with public sector investment and private sector investment. Private sector contribution should not be seen as a dirty word, as some of you on the left see it. It is a very, very important contributor to getting to 50,000 or 60,000 housing per annum. The momentum is very strong now. Unfortunately, this crisis in the Middle East could be problematic in time. We need that war to end. But already, we've built about 170,000 houses since 2020. And 50,000 apartments have been built. 8,000 permissions in Q4 2025, up 20%. 20,000 houses granted permission in 2025, highest since 2009. Commencement notice up 184% in Q1 2026. And real dwelling investment up close to 20% in the first three quarters of 2025. Construction employment is at 191,000 at the end of 2025. That's up 30% since 2019. 12% year on year. And the HBFI loan book has grown to 25%, to 3.2 billion. And we've announced the Billion Housing Structure Investment Fund is doing very well also. And I can go through all the various investments that the state is putting into this. Nearly 59,000 social houses have been added since July 2020. And it is significant that 60% of all mortgages drawn down now are first-time buyers. That matters. I wouldn't dismiss it like you tried to in your opening remarks. I'm not missing anything here. That is significant because it means the measures we've introduced are helping first-time buyers. Albeit at prices that are still too high. But the only way we'll deal with that price issue is by having more supply. And we need a more collective approach to housing supply. And not oppose every single thing that government brings in. And in terms of the reforms, you know well, some smaller landlords didn't like the reforms because they gave additional protection to tenants. Thank you, Taoiseach. Deputy Batshuk will now have an opportunity to respond. Thank you, Taoiseach. Well, Taoiseach, we can agree on one thing. Supply of homes is key. But your government is not delivering increased supply. And unfortunately, the only momentum is with the tsunami of eviction notices that people are experiencing. Your government can't blame the housing crisis on Trump. And I mean, you know I've acknowledged the impact of the global energy shock. Because your policies have not changed. They are failing to deliver for people. Like the family I met in Oranmore last week who asked me to tell their story. A couple with three small children, one with additional needs. Noticed to quit. They will be evicted in June. They're facing homelessness. And as support workers, advise the father who's working to give up work to improve chances of getting a home. What have your government got to offer him? What have they got to offer my students in the gallery? What have you got to offer? Because it seems there's an acceptable level of homelessness. This figure has been normalized. It's climbing every month. Deputy Sheehan is out with other opposition spokespersons commenting on the homeless figures every month. They continue to climb. Thank you, Deputy. Five and a half thousand children. Too shocked to now respond. Those three children I met in Oranmore are going to join those figures. Your time is up. Housing supply is the key. And we need more houses. Building more houses. Your policies actually would reduce housing supply. There's no question. The other point on homelessness. Let's be honest. Homelessness and the profile of homelessness has shifted dramatically. There's no question. That's the reality. If you look at the figures. If you look at the figures. Sorry? Deputy O'Brien. Deputy O'Brien. The last time. Deputy O'Brien. Excuse me. You're wrong. Sorry, Taoiseach. Excuse me. Stop the clock, please. If you look at the figures. Deputy O'Brien. There's nothing special about you. You're not leader yet of Sinn Féin. And by the looks of things, you'll be a long time waiting. But all I want to say is this. Taoiseach, the clock has stopped. Excuse me while I address the chamber. Deputy O'Brien. The rules apply to everybody. Interruptions are not allowed. Your leader has had your question and was afforded the time, if I recall, by everybody to put the question. Thank you. Not during. Deputy O'Brien. If you can't have respect for the chair, have respect for your colleagues. Thank you. And your colleagues. And your colleagues. Enough from everybody now. Taoiseach, please resume. Look, the fundamental change in homelessness, and it's still an issue without question, is the fact that about less than 50% are now Irish citizens. Migration has impacted hugely on homelessness. The facts speak for themselves. Look, if we can't have an honest debate. Look, don't be getting into high dungeon now. That is the truth. That is the truth, unfortunately, whether you like it or not. And you can try and make all the commentary you like about that. And I say that... Sorry? Deputy Holly Kearns. Look at the Dublin figures alone. Thank you, Taoiseach. Deputy Holly Kearns.