TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN was accused of “spoofing” in the Dáil today, during a debate about housing targets, by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

McDonald quizzed the Taoiseach about his laughter during a meeting in Washington D.C last week with Donald Trump over a joke about Ireland’s housing crisis, in which the US President described the housing crisis as a “good problem”.

In response at the time, Martin said: “That’s a pretty good answer, Mr President.”

A number of opposition TDs condemned the Taoiseach’s response, claiming it showed a disregard to those impacted by the housing crisis in Ireland and the seriousness of the issue.

Those same claims were heard in the Dáil today during Leaders’ Questions from a number of opposition leaders.

McDonald asked whether the Taoiseach thought that people who are not able to join the property ladder or afford their rent in Ireland would also believe Trump’s response to be a “pretty good answer”.

She added: “Do you think it’s a good answer for mothers and fathers forced into homelessness, for children being raised in B&Bs and in hotel rooms. Your sniggering interaction hurt a lot of people, Taoiseach. You made light of their suffering.”

The Sinn Féin leader also accused the government of “misleading” the public before the general election last year, by telling voters that the outgoing coalition were set to meet its housing targets. 

Subsequent reporting has found that analysis, issued to the current public expenditure minister Jack Chambers before the election, reportedly detailed that the government would miss its targets.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald speaking in the Dáil today. Oireachtas.ie Oireachtas.ie

Responding, the Taoiseach said he disagrees with McDonald’s remarks and quoted his follow-up statements about housing in Oval Office, in which he said that housing was his and the government’s number-one priority.

Martin said it was “extremely disappointing” that last year’s housing target wasn’t met, but that the focus needs to be how that target is reached. He accused McDonald of ‘playing politics’ instead of looking at practical solutions to the housing crisis.

“You will choose to play politics with [the housing crisis] on an ongoing basis,” he said in the Dáil, adding that McDonald did not have the “courage” to attend meeting with international partners to attempt to come up with resolutions.

“You choose not to go to Washington, a big mistake in my view. You choose not to face, meet people to discuss a whole range of issues that you will habitually raise in this house but – hadn’t the courage or the guts to go to the US to meet with your own interlocutors and discuss those issues with them,” the Fianna Fáil leader said.

Martin claimed the government had exceeded independent estimates in the past, and want to progress the development of housing in Ireland. Oireachtas.ie Oireachtas.ie

Martin claimed the government had exceeded independent estimates in the past, quoting a number of reports with projections – based on previous housing targets – which the government met or surpassed.

McDonald then accused the Taoiseach of “spoofing” – claiming that the only report that mattered was the one which outlined the government’s missed housing target and the analysis issued to Minister Chambers.

She said Martin’s response didn’t answer why the details of the report weren’t published before the general election last year, before accusing him again of disrespecting those impacted by the housing shortage in the country.

The Taoiseach said: “I think that’s pathetic, you accusing me of spoofing. Come off the stage.

“No one was sniggering at any housing problem. You know that. You know that. It’s pathetic, the protestations and your attempt to exploit that particular moment, and completely oblivious.”