Dáil live: Niall Collins expected to make statement to Dáil on land deal controversy on Thursday

Independent TD Marian Harkin has raised the issue of the lack of delivery of balanced regional development, specific to the north western region.

She highlights poor infrastructure in the area and says this is “the reason we are behind” and that the Government needs to work with the regional assembly to find solutions.

Mr Varadkar says the Government is investing in rural and regional Ireland. He says every region in Ireland now has a university and there are university towns across the country, which will make a difference.

The Taoiseach says there has been huge investment in every county in the country. That is Leaders’ Questions finished for today.

Independent TD Peter Fitzpatrick has raised the issue of lack of full-time contracts for teachers

Mr Varadkar says there is a real recruitment and retention challenge in education and there are labour shortages across many sectors.

He says the State has gone from 64,000 teachers five years ago to 72,000, which was a “big increase”. The Taoiseach says “we are having real success in recruiting and retaining teachers, notwithstanding the challenges that arise”.

Separate to Dáil proceedings, political correspondent Cormac McQuinn is reporting that Fianna Fáil junior minister Niall Collins is expected to make a statement to the Dáil about the controversy relating to his wife’s purchase of a property from Limerick County Council in 2008 on Thursday.

Mr Collins was part of a local area committee of the council that recommended disposal of the property in 2007 when he was a member of the local authority.

After an open market process that concluded after he had ceased to be a member of the authority, the property was bought by his wife, who had previously approached the council about selling.

Mr Collins has been sharply criticised for his apparent failure to declare his wife’s interest in buying the property or recuse himself from the local committee’s recommendation. The allegations were first reported in the Ditch, an investigative news website.

A spokeswoman for Fianna Fáil said that Mr Collins will make a statement to the Dáil on Thursday but she could not say if there will be an opportunity for TDs to ask questions as has been demanded by the Opposition.

The leaders of the Coalition parties were all critical of Mr Collins, with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar saying that it would have been “better practice” had he declared his interest, while the Green leader Eamon Ryan said that he “should have recused himself”.

However, Mr Varadkar also defended Mr Collins’ intention not to submit himself to a question-and-answer session in the Dáil, saying that “this place is a parliament, not a kangaroo court”.

In a statement issued late on Monday night, Mr Collins said that the process was “open” and “transparent” and added that he was not a member of the council in September 2008 when the sale was completed.

He also said that when the local area committee decided to recommend a sale, neither he nor his wife had any “pecuniary or beneficial” interest in the property. But the decision to sell the property was made following an inquiry from solicitors acting for Mr Collins’ wife, Dr Eimear O’Connor.

Government sources insisted that the property was sold to the highest bidder after a public process.

Labour TD Ged Nash has raised the issue of soaring prices for basic food items. He says Irish companies are recording record breaking profits according to CSO figures and prices are rising faster than incomes.

The Louth TD says supermarkets profits are rising while families are struggling and asked the Taoiseach what will he do to and would he empower the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to carry out a review of basic grocery prices.

In response, Mr Varadkar acknowledges that prices are rising and “rising rapidly in Ireland”. He says we are seeing prices rise faster than income but that the Government believes “that won’t be the case this year”.

Mr Varadkar says there has been correspondence with the CCPC regarding prices at the pumps and in supermarkets. He also says the Government would be reluctant to introduce price controls and Ireland didn’t have a good experience with them.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has just kicked off Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil on Wednesday. She says more evidence emerges every day of the consequences of the housing emergency on the Government’s watch.

Ms McDonald says people are left struggling with rising rents and house prices due to the Government’s failure to deliver affordable housing.

She points to her party’s call for the re-introduction of mortgage interest relief.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says there is real evidence of the progress the Government is making on housing, with 6,760 new homes built in the first quarter of this year.

Mr Varadkar says he hopes someone as “mean spirited” as Ms McDonald will acknowledge the figures.

He says tax measures are a measure for the budget and all suggestions and ideas will be considered.

The Taoiseach says there will be a tax package in the budget but that it won’t be possible to “include everything”.

He says average mortgage rates are now at the lower level by European standards.

Ms McDonald said the European Central Bank will meet on Thursday and it is a matter of great fear and anxiety for mortgage holders that they will see another hike.

She said if the Government wasn’t going to support her party’s measure, “what’s your answer if you don’t like ours”.

Mr Varadkar says people would pay more income tax under Sinn Féin and that the tax package in the budget will be “as generous as we can afford”.