Taoiseach challenges Sinn Féin to publish its own plan to fix housing crisis

He was suggesting the main Opposition had no hard and fast policy on housing, which the leader of Sinn Féin predicted would be the defining issue of the local and European elections in a month's time.

Housing is the "number one talking point on the doors" and the biggest issue by far, said Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald.

An entire generation was locked out of home ownership by sky-high prices she said, and the Government's inability to provide affordable homes was at the heart of the problem.

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Forty per cent of people under the age of 34 still live at home she said, and this was the single statistic that should make the Government "pack your bags," she said.

In his speech to this party's ard fheis, Simon Harris had promised to fix housing "once and for all," she said.

But the Taoiseach said homes were now being built at a rate not seen since 2008. Every single week 500 people were buying their first homes, Mr Harris said - homes which did not exist a short time before.

There were 12,000 homes started in the first quarter of 2024, the Taoiseach added - and there were new reliefs for renters, along with the First Home scheme, the Help to Buy scheme, and other initiatives.

He suggested that "if you were Taoiseach next year, none of those schemes would be in place," because of Sinn Féin policy.

"We're on track for 6,000 [affordable homes] this year," Mr Harris added.

"I know for you to succeed, you need the country's housing policy to fail, but that's not the case," he added.

He said Sinn Féin should publish its own comprehensive housing policy to rival Housing for All.

"I've shown you, and the people at home, how we're going to fix it. We're delivering record supply. It seems to upset you,” Mr Harris said.

He said Ms McDonald was coming into the Dáil, identifying the problem, but offering no solutions.