Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I, too, want to begin by paying tribute to Deputies Shortall and Catherine Murphy on their significant decision. I want to acknowledge them both as very formidable politicians. I believe Deputy Shortall is the longest serving female TD in the history of our State. That in and of itself is an historic record that deserves commendation. Through her work on Sláintecare, she brought parties with different views together to try to find common ground. Deputy Murphy has served for approximately 30 years in various political roles in her community and in Dáil Éireann. She will always be remembered as a particularly diligent and efficient member of the Committee of Public Accounts. Of course, they both played a major role in founding their political party. I want to wish them both and their families every happiness and good health now and into the future.

I thank Deputy McDonald for raising this very important issue. Let us start on something that I know we can agree on, namely, that far too many people in this country still feel that homeownership is out of reach. We are working to change that. I accept the bona fides of all political parties in this House that bring forward ideas and policies as to how they would change it, but it is also important to say to those people seeking to buy homes in our country that real progress is being made and that every single working day so far this year in Ireland, we have seen 321 new homes commence construction. So far this year-----

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