Tánaiste accuses Pearse Doherty of being a character from Jeckyll and Hyde, while Ceann Comhairle threatens to suspend Dáil

The Fianna Fáil leader said Mr Doherty was “Dr. Jeckyll for Davy stockbrokers” as he pledged to support a strategic fund for future investments.

“Then you will be Mr Hyde when you come to the Dáil,” he said after Mr Doherty interrupted him. Mr Martin said Sinn Féin voted against the fund this week.

Mr Doherty responded by demanding answers to his original allegation – that Mr Martin and Fianna Fáil had promised at the last election to provide 50,000 homes priced “under €250,000”.

He asked where they were. They didn’t exist, he said. Instead, the average price of a house in Carrigaline, in Mr Martin’s Cork constituency, had risen by €100,000 since the government took office four years ago. It has now cost 400,000 euros, he said.

When Mr Doherty repeatedly demanded answers to his question, the Ceann Comhairle warned him that he would adjourn the Dáil, telling him: “You are the arch-strategic heckler.”

Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil had historically been the party that built houses “for decades and generations in this country”.

He said there had been “extraordinary numbers” in the first four months of this year: 18,000 new homes started in April 2024.

“That’s about 600 per cent more than last year.” Mr Martin did not mention that April launches were required to claim an exemption from municipal service charges. The exception has now been extended until the end of the year.

Construction of over 30,000 houses began in the first four months of the year, the Tánaiste added. About 53,000 houses were built last year. “There is momentum.”

Mr Doherty said people were scratching their heads. “Where are these houses today, because the result of your policies is that you have caused property prices to spiral out of control and out of reach of ordinary families.”