Regarding Deputy Shane Moynihan's comments, it is true that his constituency is a rapidly growing one. In the considerations for the updated and renewed national development plan, we will look at what can be included and what types of developments can be done, particularly in respect of rail services more generally, public transport and roads infrastructure, particularly in new areas. Very often, the necessary road infrastructure follows too late after the construction of very large housing areas. Recently, while v…

To respond to Deputy Boyd Barrett, the local authority needs to take action. Increasingly, people are asking the Government to get into the workings of local councils. They should be rehousing people-----

They should be rehousing people who are in the conditions the Deputy outlined. In many local authorities across the country, that has happened. Many of the regeneration schemes in Dublin seem to be very slow compared with those in other areas, which have been more extensive and focused. I do not know why that is. Some of the flat complexes and so on should have been refurbished a long time ago.

I know. That is what I am saying, but the council should do it. More social housing has been built to facilitate rehousing people who are living in those conditions.

To respond to Deputy Murphy, I mentioned during Leaders' Questions that the Government will put in about €6 billion in 2025. It is estimated that what is required to reach the targets everybody agrees with will be between €15 billion and €20 billion. The Government will not be able to do €15 billion to €20 billion on an ongoing basis. It can do €6 billion and might even do more than that but, without question, we have to get substantial investment going in the private sector as well. That is the reality, despite al…

The Housing Agency has been conducting a review of RPZs since last year. It will finish its review at the end of quarter 1. The Housing Commission asked that we would do a detailed, evidence-based examination of this German reference pricing system. That should happen because that is what the commission recommended. We do not have to go with it but at the very least we should examine it and understand what the pros and cons of such a scheme are. I simply said we were going to examine it and, apparently, we cannot e…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together. The Government's response to the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council's competitiveness challenge report 2024 was published on 5 November last. The Government's response was co-ordinated by the Department of An Taoiseach, drawing together material from relevant Departments. This was the fifth year in which a formal response was issued by the Government to the council's annual competitiveness challenge report. The response addressed the 20 recommendatio…

The Deputy is fairly competitive in here.

I am conscious that Deputy Shane Moynihan and-----

Dúirt an Teachta Shane Moynihan go raibh fonn air béim a chur ar na mionchomhlachtaí agus aontaím leis. Phléigh sé conas is féidir linn iad a threisiú agus a dhéanamh níos láidre diaidh ar ndiaidh agus an tslí ar féidir linn é sin a dhéanamh. On competitiveness, the scaling up of smaller companies has been a key agenda item for Enterprise Ireland for quite a long time. It takes a great deal to form a company and grow it. After ten to 15 years, many entrepreneurs, if they have developed a fine product and company, m…

On the EU capital markets union, I discussed that with President Costa. Ireland will have a key role. That needs to happen for the future of Europe and releasing capital on European-----

I thought the Deputy might grab the opportunity.

Níl aon dabht ann ach gurb í an ghéarchéim is mó atá againn sa tír seo ná an easpa tithíochta. Níl a dhóthain tithe againn. Caithfimid gach aon dícheall a dhéanamh chun i bhfad níos mó tithe a chruthú chomh tapa agus is féidir linn. Housing is the number one social priority in this country. It goes to the heart of cohesion in this country, and it is the Government's priority, as it was during the lifetime of the previous Government. During the lifetime of the previous Government, from about 2020 onwards, close to 1…

No, they were not.

Clearly the targets-----

-----were realistic because targets are-----

-----assessed by a number of factors.

Need is a different question to target. Need relates to our population growth. We have to devise methods, mechanisms and policies that get us to what we need. I do not dispute what we need. Different parties had different programmes in the last general election.

Could I say to the Deputy that if we take the three years combined, 2022, 2023 and 2024----

----we exceeded our targets by close to 5,000 houses. That is not of interest to the Deputy.