-----but it has nothing to do with the reality of delivering on the ground.

The bottom line here is that we need supply.

That is the fundamental way to deal with this crisis. In the context of the rental sector-----

-----we need to do two things. We need to attract more people into it. We need more people to provide housing for rent. If the rent eviction ban were to continue for the next two years, supply would be the issue. If we are honest, that is what we would have to do, and not to next December, as Deputy Doherty is pretending, because he knows damn well it would not be lifted in December. It would have to go the full two years. Supply is the issue-----

It would irreparably damage supply to the rental market, which would be to the detriment of people who would end up homeless and to the detriment of people seeking housing.

We have already decided, and the Deputy knows this too, on immediate measures for more than 3,000 additional homes to be provided through 1,500 acquisitions-----

-----in the context of the in situ directive the Minister is issuing to the local authorities. Basically, where a person is in difficulty or under threat of eviction the local authorities can purchase that house.

Some 1,500 has been provided for. A further 1,000 houses or apartments are to be leased, in addition to those already provided for in Housing for All as a result of Cabinet decisions last Tuesday. With the capital advance leasing facility, CALF, funding adjustments another 1,000 units are to be provided, again facilitating those who could be in difficulty. There is also the opportunity-to-buy initiative on top of that whereby first call would be on the tenant, or after that an approved-----

The Deputy asked the question and I am giving the answer.

The Deputy asked the question and I am giving the answer. In the real world the Deputy said it was dealt with-----

That was dealt with. The Deputy said it was dealt with.

The opportunity for a first refusal will be given to the tenant and then to an approved housing body. I believe this is a very important initiative in terms of enabling people to have alternatives to being homeless. Plus, there is the transition to a cost-rental option also.

First, I congratulate the Deputy on her elevation as leader of the Social Democrats. I did not get the opportunity to do so in the House to date, and I wish her the very best in that regard. Fianna Fáil values were reflected when we decided to form the Government and take on the housing portfolio, notwithstanding the challenges that had built up over the years, and to make a real difference. That difference is already manifest in the fact that last year close to 10,000 social homes were delivered. That is the highe…

That is not fair and it does not add up. I have made housing the priority of this Government and, along with my colleagues in government, the three parties have said that the three key priorities are housing, health reform, and planning change. Look at the variety of schemes that we have introduced on housing. We have the all new Croí Cónaithe scheme. We introduced the Land Development Agency, which again the Deputy's party opposed. By any yardstick, going from 20,000 houses to 30,000 houses was a significant turni…

The advice is very strong from those with a degree of experience of and expertise in the housing market that if we extend the ban, it would damage and undermine the prospects of people getting homes into the future.

It was this Government that introduced the eviction ban.

This Government introduced an eviction ban for the first time in history of the State. Everybody in this House said that it should be temporary to one degree or another. There is terrible hypocrisy in this debate. Sinn Féin said that we should lift it at Christmas time, a couple of days after Christmas Day. That is the stated position of Sinn Féin. How dishonest is that?

Deputy Cairns more or less said that it does not matter what they say but of course it matters. There is an obligation on everyone in the House. If Deputies oppose, they should come up with solutions. They should come up with ideas.

But they do not.

I do not understand how the Deputy, in reference to the help-to-buy scheme, which helped 33,000 young purchasers, can just dismiss it and oppose it. It helped young people to buy a house. Maybe the Deputy is against home ownership. I do not know if that is her position. I would make the point in respect of leasing that there will be 1,000 units following adjustments to the CALF, and 1,500 units by way of the tenant in situ policy. We are basically saying to the local authorities that if someone is in danger of home…