Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As stated, there is an over-reliance by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and her Department on the private sector to plug the incredible gap in the lack of supply of social housing. This problem is particularly acute in the context of the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. For example, as the Minister of State will be aware, in Dublin city the RAS has collapsed. I have been informed by the housing manager, Dick Brady, that 101 landlords exited the scheme in 2013 and that a further 54 had requested withdrawal from it.

I have been approached by numerous constituents who are on RAS and whose landlords are now selling the properties in which they are living. They will effectively be left homeless, with nowhere to go. To date in 2014, perhaps only five or six new RAS properties have become available.

Rent supplement is a vital support but it is only a short to medium-term measure. The 78,000 people in receipt of it do not have security of tenure. It is proposed to introduce a housing assistance payment and to give responsibility for the administration of this to the Department of Social Protection. However, I understand that the scheme in this regard is only being operated on a small pilot basis in the city of Limerick where the Minister of State resides.

The housing policy statement issued by the Minister of State in February 2013 refers to a housing-led approach. That is incredible in circumstances where it is proposed to bring only 4,500 or 5,000 social housing units on stream this year. In reply to a parliamentary question I tabled recently, the Minister of State indicated that 2,500 of the 4,725 units that are due to become available will emanate from the rental accommodation scheme. That is unbelievable, particularly in view of the fact that over 4,200 people and families are on the housing waiting list in my constituency of Dublin Bay North.

The Government has also referred to ending homelessness by 2016. The rough sleeper count carried out in November showed that 94 people were homeless on the streets of Dublin. I know of families that have been living in homeless accommodation for over a year and that are desperately waiting for the Government to take action in order that they might obtain homes. Research carried out by the Simon Community and other organisations indicates that up to 4,000 people in the State may be homeless. There are ongoing difficulties with the shared ownership scheme as a result of the fact that some people's homes are in negative equity. Essentially, families have become trapped. Local authorities in Dublin recently moved to a time-on-the-list system and it was a shock to discover that some families have been on the waiting list for ten, 12, 14 or 15 years and have still not been either housed or rehoused by Dublin City Council or Fingal County Council.

I agree with Focus Ireland that it will be necessary to provide a minimum of 9,000 to 10,000 social housing units per annum if we are to begin reducing our very lengthy housing waiting lists. We may require some 25,000 to 30,000 units in order to work our way back to the position which obtained previously. In 2013 a total of 8,000 units were provided, as was the case in the Government's first year in office. We need to create - at all costs - a stable and sustainable housing market, without any further bubbles or severe shortages. The latter only enrich the developer and landlord classes. Unfortunately, the Fine Gael-Labour Government's record on housing is deplorable. The Minister of State must take urgent action in respect of this matter in whatever time she has left in office.

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