Varadkar: Voters 'distressed and offended' by FG housing response
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted many voters were “very distressed and offended” by the failure of Fine Gael to address the housing crisis.
“I think housing homelessness was a really important issue in the election that actually, a lot of people are very distressed and offended at the fact that we didn't make more progress when it comes to homelessness,” he said.
“And I really heard that. And obviously, the housing crisis has affected so many people in so many different ways, whether it's people in their 20s or 30s, who are still living at home at the low paying really high rent, so I think housing was a really real issue in this election. I do feel we made a lot of progress in the last year or two,” he added.
“But I think the public took a different view that we didn't do enough. Now we need to reflect on that. And refresh our policies when it comes to housing and see if there is more that we could have done, or at least things that we can call for an opposition that the new government should be doing," he said.
But I also think you have a very strong point on what people's concerns are.
Mr Varadkar, speaking during a Facebook Live questions and answers video, said that opposition parties won 120 seats so he said they should form a Government.
He said there is an opportunity for Fine Gael to get a "fairer hearing" if they are in opposition.
Mr Varadkar said if Fine Gael does decide to go into Government in the future members would be consulted at a special conference.
Mr Varadkar said Fine Gael would give opposition parties time to form a Government and that Fine Gael should only come into play if they fail.
Mr Varadkar also said the people on the left in politics didn't realise that you have to create wealth before you can distribute it.
