Minister Simon Harris has said that the government is 'doing everything it can' to tackle the housing crisis and that the challenge 'hasn't been a static one'.
The housing crisis is set to be one of the hot button issues of the next election, and Minister Harris says he is aware that the electorate will demand"tangible signs of progress" before casting their votes."When Fine Gael first came to government, the big issue around housing was ghost estates, was mortgage arrears", he said."Planning permissions are up, home completions are up, mortgage draw-downs are up", said Minister Harris.
Harris believes that his party's"longevity in government" is an advantage, despite what some"opponents" may say. "While we certainly have not gotten everything right, we have responded with leadership, provided the country with stable government and work with the people of the country to get us through."Since taking up his post as Minister for Higher Education, some Irish universities have slipped further down the world rankings.
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