Before I begin, I send my support and the support of my party to young Cara Darmody, who has begun her 50-hour sit-out protest to demand timely assessments of need are delivered. It is shameful that a young woman has to do this over and over again but we are deeply inspired by her. Tá físeán a bhí curtha in airde ag an Roinn tithíochta ar na meáin shóisialta tar éis fearg millteanach a chruthú. Déanann an físeán iarracht dallamullóg a chur ar dhaoine maidir le freagracht an Rialtais as polasaí tithíochta atá tar éis an oiread sin daoine óga a bhrú le filleadh ar ais le cónaí sa bhaile lena dtuismitheoirí. Demeaning, hurtful, insulting and a two-fingered salute to an entire generation - these are the words people are using to describe the decision by the Minister's Government to share a video advising people how to cope with moving back into the family home. People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are forced to move back in with their parents. I know SpunOut helped with this video. It is a very good organisation that does great work. It is no reflection on it or the young people in the video but it should not be left to a youth organisation to clean up Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's mess.

Sentiment score: 0.07

The decision by this Government to share the video has caused fierce anger. The video suggests that those forced to move back in with their parents should help around the house so they will be viewed as adults. God almighty, how patronising is that? Did anybody in the Government look at this video before it was shared on the official platforms by the Department of housing? Did anybody think about how people would react? Two weeks ago, I stood here on Leader's Questions and I raised the case of a young couple forced to move back into their parents' house. They were forced to do that because they could not afford the rent any longer. That couple are now planning to head to Australia. Last night, I was thinking about them and the hurt they would feel after seeing this video. However, they are not alone. The hard reality is that two thirds of 18- to 34-year-olds are still living with their parents. The number of young people forced to live with their family is increasing at a faster rate than in any other country in Europe. Why? Under the Minister's Government, home ownership has collapsed for an entire generation. We see it all again today in black and white in the report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. A total of 80% cannot afford to rent an average apartment built this year. Is it any wonder so many people do not see a future here? The Government's policies are forcing them to choose between moving back into the box room or leaving Ireland for the opportunity of a better life in Australia or Canada. These are the choices they have to make when they should be here, building a future, starting relationships and starting families. Instead, their lives are being put on hold. If this Government gave a damn about our young people, what it would be doing is bringing action forward to bring home ownership back into reach and get runaway rents under control. What is the Government doing? Instead, it is doing the opposite. It chooses to make things even worse. It is going to push ahead with legislation that will see young people hit with big rent increases come next March. What I want to say to young people out there and those watching today is that we are going to keep fighting for them here. Sinn Féin will keep fighting for them. We will have their back to make things better and ensure they can build a good future and an affordable life here in Ireland. I will ask the Minister the question many young people have asked me in the last number of hours: does he see why young people are offended and hurt by the Government sharing this video? Does he accept that it is wrong for this Government to make young people feel that they are somehow at fault for its housing crisis?

Sentiment score: -0.10

The Minister is not listening and he is not hearing. He does not understand what it feels like for people in their 20s, 30s or even 40s who have been forced to move back into their parents’ house and are now living in the box room when the Department of housing shares a video saying that maybe they should do the dishes when they are at home so they will be seen as an adult. Can the Minister understand how hurtful that is or the lack of hope that is out there? When I was in my 20s I was married, I built my house and I had my first two children. There is an entire generation out there whose lives are on hold or, worse still, an entire generation out there who are no longer here because they have lost hope. They have lost hope under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael because they see that house prices are runaway prices, they see what the Government is doing with rents and that it is going to push them up further, and they see that home ownership has collapsed. They have given up. Does the Minister, Deputy Chambers, accept that the Department of housing releasing that video, sharing that video, was hurtful to so many people who, under the Government's policies, have been forced to move back into their parents' box room?

Sentiment score: -0.12

I did not say the Department made it.

Sentiment score: 0.00