Sir, – I watched the proceedings in Dáil Éireann earlier this week with exasperation and dismay as elected representatives engaged in a theatre of disingenuous sentiment regarding the charge of being a “slíbhín” (“Taoiseach called ‘slíbhín’ for defence of changes to rental system amid record rent hikes,” May 20th).A chorus of calls denouncing unparliamentary language rang through the Dáil, yet the lived reality for ordinary people is that property ownership has become a dream. Young men and women are living in their parents’ homes, unable to buy, and increasingly unable to afford exorbitant rents. The root cause of this national crisis, I contend, lies in policy decisions by successive governments that have facilitated mega-wealthy individuals and funds in purchasing large swathes of new and existing housing, thereby disenfranchising ordinary citizens.Until politicians enact robust legislation that prioritises owner-occupier home ownership, the situation will continue to deteriorate.- Yours, etc,Thomas O’Connor, Crumlin, Dublin 12.