Absolutely I do not.

I do not doubt the Deputy's commitment to the housing issue, but he presented a narrative that is almost wholly negative, as if nothing was happening in housing or house building. He omitted to say that in quarter 4 last year, rents had not just stabilised but very modestly came down. He is looking at the annualised figures, which may indicate the increased supply of last year and the year before is beginning to have an impact. The answer is supply. I have watched the Deputy's policies for quite a while and there i…

-----social homes were added to the social housing stock in quarter 4 2023. Last year also saw the highest level of new-build social homes since 1975: 8,100 homes, or 12,000 social homes delivered in total if leasing and acquisition and so forth are taken into account. There is a strong pipeline of 22,500 social homes. That is the way to deal with the rental issue. We simply have to increase supply and build more homes - social homes, affordable homes, cost-rental homes and so forth. There is significant regulation…

There is no impunity. That is a wrong assertion.

The law is being applied and we have legislated for tenancies of unlimited duration, restricted the level of upfront payments required of tenants and legislated to increase the notice-to-quit period for tenancies of three years' duration or less. The minimum notice a landlord must give a tenant of less than three years' duration has been increased from 28 days to three months. Changes to the housing assistance payment will secure and expand tenancies.

In terms of non-compliance, the RTB has enhanced powers of investigation and sanctioning, and additional resources to ensure-----

-----that the full protection against unlawful rents in RPZs can be enforced. As a result of investigations conducted by the RTB, 180 sanctions have been imposed on landlords for improper conduct and they have been published on the board's website, which the Deputy did not reference.

As I said, 77% of published sanctions for improper conduct are for breaches of rent pressure zones. There can be breaches on all sides, which the Deputy never articulates.

As to one of the factors in people exiting, the Deputy should perhaps inquire into that also.

In terms of the proposals the Deputy has put forward, I do not see any outcome from them other than further depression of supply in the rental market.

That is an issue Deputy O'Callaghan needs to address because if we depress supply we will increase prices even more.

I was 12 years of age when the referendum to join the European Union was passed overwhelmingly by the Irish people. What was interesting about that debate and every other debate about the European Union since then and every other referendum is that people from the Deputy's side of the House predicted conscription-----

-----membership of NATO, NATO tanks on O'Connell Street-----

That has been a consistent line adopted and I have heard it-----

I did not interrupt the Deputies-----

No, I am not.

The old trope of conscription-----

-----and of joining a European army has been in every referendum.

The Deputy just asked if I was going to send Irish troops out to fight in colonial wars-----

I did not interrupt. I am entitled, through the Chair, to argue and make points to the House and to answer the questions the Deputy has raised. My point is a valid point and I will not be browbeaten by the Deputy just as she tried to browbeat me last year when I had a consultative forum, which is a basic act of participative democracy. She tried everything to denigrate the chair and tried everything to stop debate because she do not even think we have the right to discuss these issues-----