After 5 years in power, now Labour unveils first-time buyers' incentive pledge on eve of election

AT THE END of a very lacklustre and uninspiring Labour Party conference at the weekend, party leader Joan Burton made a promise to bring in a savings scheme for first-time buyers.

This comes after five years of the Labour Party in government sitting on its hands while the housing crisis spiralled out of control.

This promise – along with all of the Labour Party’s election promises – should be taken with a pinch of salt, given its record of broken promises in government.

We only need to look at Housing Minister Alan Kelly’s comments at the weekend to see that this is a party that is hungry for power at any cost.

The deputy leader of the Labour Party admits to being ruthless, highly ambitious and attracted to what he describes at the drug of power.

These comments remind me of similar comments once made by his colleague Pat Rabbitte when he basically said election promises are what you do at election time.

The way to tackle the housing crisis is to build houses. Sinn Féin has a plan to build 100,000 homes by 2030 and to stand up for the rights of tenants, homeowners and those wishing to buy.