Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wholeheartedly agree that the Minister of State has prioritised the extremely important issue of homelessness. Senator Hayden has covered much of the area in regard to homelessness so I hope I do not repeat what she has said. I broadly support the specific ring-fencing of €45 million for dealing with this whole issue. However, I do not envy the Minister of State's task because this problem requires a lot more than €45 million. I fully respect the fact the Minister of State is fighting at every opportunity for extra funds but, nonetheless, we are in a very difficult situation.

We need a proactive approach to tackling homelessness in the country. I say "in the country" because it is not just in the cities although, obviously, the biggest problem is in Dublin city due to its population density. Recent CSO statistics show that part of this problem is that house prices in Dublin have gone up by 15% to 20% in the past year alone and there is a shortage of housing stock. This partly explains the reasons that more people are presenting as homeless in Dublin at present. However, there is another reason, namely, the continuous attitude of the banks to people who are in mortgage distress. What we are seeing is more and more houses being taken back, which is inevitably leading to people becoming homeless.

This is no solution to the problem. We in this House are fed up with requesting action from the banks and action from the Government to tell the banks what they need to do. The problem, very simply, is that if people cannot pay their mortgage, they are put out on the side of the street and they present to a local authority to be housed. That is not a solution. Surely some work can be done with the banks, for example, so they could take some interest share in the house and allow people to remain in their homes.

I was shocked to see the statistics about the number of families who are presenting as homeless. I am talking about full families, not just individual people. They are all people; they are all human beings. In recent months I have engaged with many people who are homeless in this city, simply by talking to them on the street when I meet them. The stories I have been told by these people are not the typical stories everybody likes to think the homeless have, for example, that they are homeless because they have a drug problem, a drink problem or the like. They are very human stories of people who are homeless for various reasons. For example, one woman I met was being beaten by her husband and was forced to leave her house. She chose the street rather than the environment she had to live in at home. These are real people with real stories. We should never lose sight of that because it is very important.

I commend the work that has been undertaken under the social impact investment project.

That initiative involves a collaborative effort to help people who are homeless. In this regard, I look forward to the outcome of the research the Minister of State has commissioned. Can she give us any information on the research findings at this stage, particularly in regard to rent controls? The establishment of the homelessness oversight group was a welcome move by the Minister of State. I welcome the group's view that the Government's targets for 2016 are achievable, notwithstanding budget restraints. I have some doubts in that regard, but I look forward to being convinced. It is important that available resources are leveraged in the appropriate manner and with a view to achieving the best possible results.

Helping people who are already homeless is one issue. Another priority must be to address the situation whereby some 80,000 people throughout the country are on local authority housing lists. In this context, I welcome the ring fencing of €30 million this year for the provision of local authority housing. It is a start and will councils throughout the country to get back to building houses. I am a traditionalist in this regard, my view being that the most straightforward and best solution to our housing needs is for local authorities to build homes in which to house the people on the lists. There is good work going on through social housing organisations, but the best solution is always to ensure there is adequate local authority housing. That proved the most effective way of bringing down the housing lists in the past. It will also help to provide employment for the many people who lost their jobs in the construction industry in recent years.

Senator Hayden asked the Minister of State to advance four particular issues. My request is that the Minister of State would seek to increase the budget for the construction of local authority housing. It is the best solution and the solution we can best stand over. There are various difficulties with long-term leasing, the rental accommodation scheme and similar programmes. To put it simply, Irish people do not like these concepts but have been forced to tolerate them. From my discussions with many people over my 20 years in local government, it is clear to me that what people who cannot afford to purchase their own home have always wanted, and still want, is the provision of local authority houses, the availability of local authority tenancies and, when their economic situation improves, the capacity eventually to buy out their house.