I thank my colleague, Deputy Doherty, for tabling the motion. The housing crisis continues to deepen for ordinary workers, families and children. We have children growing up in emergency accommodation and in overcrowded homes while their parents are being outbid for homes by vulture funds. Despite repeated promises to address this issue, the Government continues to allow this practice, meaning those struggling to buy a home have their hopes of owning a home taken away by vulture funds that can buy up to ten houses at a time without even having to pay the higher stamp duty rate and face no restrictions on the purchase of apartments. They can buy ten homes at once while a family cannot even secure one. I ask the Minister to tell me how he can face these families and tell them is doing all he can when they can see with their own eyes that house prices have risen and the number of houses for sale in their price bracket is decreasing. High rents are making it almost impossible for people even to save for a deposit. The Minister is asking people to run a race while he is tying weights to their ankles. In Clare in late 2024 the residential property price register showed the average price paid by new homeowners in Shannon and Ennis jumped by more than €40,000 in a single year. This is not a market functioning for the people; it is market rigged in favour of big investors. Homes are for living in and not for hoarding or for vulture funds circling communities and snapping up family homes in bulk while young couples stand helpless at the gate. The Minister has the opportunity now to ban vulture funds from snapping up family homes. He has the opportunity to level the playing field and give those families hope. I hope he does it and, more importantly, those families hope he does it.

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