Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I move:

That Seanad Éireann – - welcomes the commitment of this Government to end long-term homelessness by 2016 and recognises that significant challenges are now emerging in relation to housing supply;
- welcomes the ring-fencing of funding for homeless services by the Government in budget 2013 and 2014;
- further welcomes the adoption of a housing-led approach to tackling homelessness, which involves access to permanent housing combined with appropriate ongoing support, as a core aspect of the Government’s homelessness policy statement of February 2013;
- notes however that the number of people presenting as homeless in the greater Dublin area increased in 2013;
- notes that an emerging shortage of affordable rental accommodation in Dublin and other urban centres is leading to an upward pressure on rents and that this is impacting on people at risk of homelessness and those seeking to exit homeless services;
- notes that under the recent Social Housing Assessment 2013, 89,872 households were assessed as qualifying for housing support, welcomes the announcement by the Minister that her Department intends to return to mainstream local authority housing construction in 2014 and welcomes in particular the announcement of a €100 million construction programme over 2014-2015 that will enable local authorities to construct approximately 600 new social homes in that period;
- welcomes the Minister’s commitment to progressing other social housing support measures including securing additional social housing units via NAMA and the roll-out of the housing assistance payment, HAP;
- asks the Minister to set out her views on the increase in the numbers presenting as homeless and the factors behind that increase, her proposals in the medium and long-term to end long-term homelessness and to remove the risks currently in the housing market leading to a further increase in those presenting as homeless; andalso asks the Minister to set out her views on the measures the Government has taken to increase housing supply through stimulation in the construction sector, measures to tackle the needs of those assessed as being in need of housing support, and the role of local authorities and approved housing bodies in the delivery of social housing supply over the lifetime of the Government.

I very much welcome some of the measures this Government has taken, first and foremost the ring-fencing in successive budgets, in 2013 and 2014, of funding for homeless services. It is a mark of the Government’s, particularly the Minister of State’s, commitment to tackling the issue that this was achieved in the face of very tight budgetary constraints. I also welcome the change in direction during the term of this Government with the adoption of a housing-led approach to tackling homelessness, in line with the programme for Government. That involves access to permanent housing, combined with appropriate ongoing supports as part of the core package to deal with the issue, as outlined in the Minister of State’s homeless policy statement in February 2013.

Research dating back to 2011 shows that 78% of people who were at that time in homeless supports or emergency accommodation were capable of independent living. I suspect that number has increased in the past two years, given the changed profile of those presenting as homeless.

I also welcome the Government’s commitment to emphasising the prevention of homelessness. The triggers that lead people to homelessness are well known. That two out of every three children who experience care end up in homeless services is an outrage and can be addressed.

We face significant challenges in the area of homelessness. They relate not just to traditional homelessness, as we have known and experienced it, but directly to the macro economy and housing supply. The number of people presenting as homeless, particularly in the greater Dublin area in the past 12 months, has increased significantly. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has reported an increase of 50% in those presenting as homeless. It is troubling that there is a different form of homelessness today, driven by affordability of housing and not by the traditional factors such as mental health or addiction issues, history of care or prison, or family breakdown.

I must declare an interest. I am chairperson of Threshold, a housing charity. The numbers presenting to our service who are at imminent risk of homelessness have doubled. Threshold’s placement service for those at imminent risk of homelessness or who are homeless has experienced an even greater increase. Focus Ireland has also reported significant increases, as have other voluntary organisations. I pay tribute to the voluntary organisations that work in the field. Their work at a very difficult time is a great service to the country. I also thank our colleagues in Dublin City Council who recently fought very hard to protect funding for homeless services and, if I may be partisan, in particular the Labour Party group on the council.

In this debate we need to consider the factors that are causing this dramatic change in circumstances and how to address them. We framed this motion with the idea of dwelling less on the specifics of how to tackle the numbers who are homeless and more on the overall blue skies picture of how that can be addressed. At the height of the housing boom 93,000 housing units were built. That was not justifiable when one considers that it exceeded the amount built by our nearest neighbour, the United Kingdom. A total of 8,500 units were built in 2012 but in the greater Dublin area household growth was 10,000.

We are dealing with an annual increase in demand for housing in the greater Dublin area of 10,000 units while, at the same time, we have produced fewer than 1,000 units in the Dublin area. We are dealing with a scenario where we have a growing need for housing that is not being addressed and, at the same time, we are also seeing a very significant rise in rents in the private rented sector. Threshold has reported, particularly at the bottom end of the market, that it is not at all uncommon at present to see people presenting to the service with rent increases of well over 20%.

The reality is we are now seeing significant numbers of families who are being put into homelessness services because they literally cannot afford their accommodation. While it is not the Minister of State's area, and this issue has to be taken in the whole, there is a particular issue with rent supplement, which has not kept pace with rents. Even in the bad days, rent supplement was not keeping pace with rents and was a problem back in 2009 and 2010 for single people in particular. It is not enough to say rents are increasing and that rent supplement has not kept up. It was a very big issue and it has now become a crisis.

This situation particularly impacts on the lowest 40% of the market, which involves people who are in receipt of social welfare payments, disability payments and so on. I know it is the Government's strategy to move towards the housing assistance payment, HAP, which will be in the Minister of State's Department and will place the payment of rents directly with the local authorities. Unfortunately, however, we will only see the rollout of pilot schemes for that in 2014 so we cannot look to it for any help in dealing with the homelessness issue in the near future. Nonetheless, I very much welcome that the Minister of State has been progressing the HAP system and also putting pressure on NAMA to roll out additional units.

I want to focus on the broader picture. I believe there are three particular strands to this difficulty and I would like to use my remaining time in dealing with these. First, we have to act to prevent people entering into homelessness by doing what can be done to secure their existing accommodation. This involves ensuring that where there is a crisis in existing accommodation, which is more likely to be private rented accommodation, that crisis is dealt with. I ask the Minister of State to use her discretion with the Minister for Social Protection to ensure that individual community welfare officers are empowered to use their discretion in regard to what are often fairly small sums. I am aware of people losing their homes for the sake of €50 or €100, yet it will cost the Minister of State's Department €30,000 a year to keep someone in emergency accommodation.

Second, I would like the Minister of State to move forward with some exploratory discussions in regard to introducing a cap on rent increases where increases are unwarranted. I am aware there are landlords out there who have no justification for the rent increases they are seeking, given they have incurred no additional cost and their properties are well bought and paid for, but who are taking advantage of the situation. We need to move towards a situation where people know with certainty, over a period of years, what level of rent increases they will face.

Third, I ask the Minister of State to consider legislation to prevent discrimination against people in receipt of rent supplement. I challenge anybody in this Chamber or outside it to go onto the most well-known website to see the number of advertisements where rent supplement is not accepted. In our own service, the access housing unit, a negligible percentage of landlords, 1.2%, actually accept rent supplement. It is ironic that we have gone so far to secure rights for other groups in society against discrimination but we have not moved against economic discrimination.

On the broader picture, we have an issue with construction. I would like the Minister of State to outline what can be done to prioritise overall construction in the Irish economy on a sustainable basis. Nobody wants to go back to where we were in 2004 to 2006 but, at the same time, we have to acknowledge we have gone too far in the other direction. We must prioritise those in most need. Any tax-driven incentive that can be geared to producing housing for those in most in need would be welcome. Germany is an example where there are tax-driven incentives for those who produce housing for those most in need. A proportion of all housing must be allocated on a pro ratabasis in the overall housing system to those most in need of housing. Had Part V been implemented - I have done research on this - it would have generated 27,000 units over its lifetime instead of the fewer than 3,500 units it generated. We have to use any instrument, such as REITs, PPPs or any other mechanisms, that can be beneficial in dealing with this crisis.

I would like the Minister of State to issue a circular to all local authorities in the State to tell them to make their best endeavours to examine existing housing and any voids they have in their stock, with regard to how these can be best used to move people who find themselves homeless out of homelessness as a matter of priority. I am aware there are local authorities that are not moving on their voids as quickly as they should.

I reject the Opposition's amendment which focuses way too much on NAMA as some sort of panacea for all of our ills. However, I would like some view from the Minister of State as to the kind of ping-pong that is going on between the local authorities and NAMA about why the local authorities will not take NAMA units and why NAMA can only come up with 4000 units. There are 10,000 rental units in NAMA ownership which should be brought into public ownership.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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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.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes-- with deep concern the rising numbers of homeless across Dublin;
- the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive's confirmation that rough sleeping in the city has increased by "a shocking 200% in the past 12 months";
- that Focus Ireland had reported an 18% increase in demand for its services this year;
-the underlying causes of the dramatic increase in rent levels across Dublin and the impact of harsh social welfare cuts on vulnerable households; further notes-- that an estimated 3,000 housing units are needed to address long-term homelessness;
- that social housing waiting lists have increased to include some 90,000 households across the country;
- that, in 2012, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, stated that "2,000 housing units would be made available in 2012 to people on social housing lists" through NAMA;and condemns-- the failure of the Government to drive on the transfer of the 4,000 NAMA properties earmarked by the agency for social housing in order to alleviate the current deficit;
- the consistent delays in transferring NAMA properties, with only 450 transferred to date despite the fact that ten times that amount has been identified by NAMA as suitable;
- the inadequate response of the Government to the crisis, with the repackaging of old announcements and the provision of just 600 social housing units earmarked for construction in 2014;and calls on-- the Government to live up to its pledge to end long-term homelessness by 2016 and introduce steps to address the social housing waiting list crisis;
- the Minister of State with responsibility for housing to outline a specific plan encompassing set targets on transferring NAMA housing; and
- the creation of a transfer unit to help local authority housing sections deal with the transfer of NAMA property."

Today we are debating a motion that praises the Government for its efforts to tackle homelessness at a time when a leading campaigner, with three decades of experience, is saying the problem is out of control. People come into politics to make a difference, not to praise themselves when things are going wrong. The Government is talking about allocating funds for the provision of 600 housing units between 2014 and 2015. That is an absolute joke. Given that some 98,000 people are on local authority waiting lists, a capital investment of €100 million will allow only 0.6% of them to be taken off those lists. What will happen to the other 99.4%? Does the Minister of State have an answer to that question?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I can explain to the Senator some of the causes of the current problem.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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When the Government is praising itself for providing houses for 0.6% of those on the waiting list, it is acknowledging that no homes will be available for the vast majority of people who need them. It makes absolutely no sense to bring forward a motion like this.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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The homeless numbers grew to such a level while Senator Ó Domhnaill's party was in government. The numbers have gone down since this Government took office.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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We have tabled an amendment to the motion because accepting the Government proposition would signal our approval of a situation whereby only 0.6% of those in need will be assisted.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Does the Senator know why there was so little capital investment in recent years? We are dealing with the consequence of actions by the previous Government.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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The Government is supposed to represent and act for all the people.

There is an obligation on the Government to provide houses for the 98,000 people who need them. I agree with some of what Senator Landy said in this regard. Even if we do not get a single new house, the situation could be significantly improved by enabling local authorities to rent out their existing stock. As it stands, they do not have the money to make those houses ready for tenants. They do not even have the money to bring the properties up to the BER energy rating standard. The whole situation is risible. Properties throughout the country have had to be boarded up because they were vacant for so long that the windows ended up being broken by vandals. This is what happened to 14 houses in one estate in Lifford in my constituency. Those dwellings have been boarded up for more than 12 months because the local authority does not have the money to fix them up and allocate them.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Is the Senator aware that a scheme was announced in the budget providing funding specifically for this purpose?

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I am. However, most of that funding will go towards work that had to be carried out in 2012 and 2013. That is what I have been told by the director of services in Donegal.

The fundamental problem is that the capital allocation is entirely inadequate. There is no cause for the Government to congratulate itself on the provision of €100 million, which is only enough to address the needs of a tiny percentage of applicants. People are losing their homes and being forced onto the streets because nothing is being done to take on the banks, which are behaving recklessly in their dealings with customers in difficulty.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Who brought in the bank guarantee?

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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Since this Government came to power, it has given the banks unquestionable powers. It is up to the banks to decide whether a customer has co-operated. I came across a case during the week where a customer was deemed not to be co-operating because he was unable to meet his full mortgage payment, even though he had sought to enter into a partial payment arrangement. It is disgraceful. I realise it is not a matter the Minister of State can tackle on her own, but the Government must take action immediately to address it. The banks are running like wildfire over people who are struggling to make mortgage payments. This issue is bound to escalate and will see many more people ending up on local authority housing lists. Unless the problem is addressed, it will end up costing more in rent supplement payments. Banks will begin repossessing homes on a much larger scale, which will further damage the property market.

There has been a 200% increase in homelessness in Dublin city, a problem which is simply not being tackled. Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust and others have highlighted the extent of the problem in recent weeks. There is no occasion for self-congratulation by the Government, which is why we are bringing forward this amendment.

Will the Minister of State indicate the position regarding the transfer of 2000 houses from the NAMA to local authorities which was promised by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, in 2012? To date, fewer than 500 of those houses have been transferred.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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Does Senator Reilly wish to second the amendment? If she does, is it her intention to make her contribution now or later?

Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein)
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I second the amendment. I will speak now or forever hold my peace, as the saying goes.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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Very good.

Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein)
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I agree with much of what Senator Ó Domhnaill said in respect of the self-congratulatory and backslapping tone which marks the Labour Party's motion. I agree with Senator Hayden, however, that it is a timely motion. The Senator referred to Dublin City Council and the position with regard to its budget. I will return to that matter later because there is a particularly question I wish to pose.

It is positive that the Labour Senators have used their Private Members' time to raise the extremely important issue of homelessness. This matter is not given adequate air time, even in the Lower House, by the Government or its Ministers. Debate is not going to offer a solution to the crisis of increasing numbers of homeless, particularly in the context of unprecedented housing need and the shortage of houses. A political solution will be required. We know what that solution is because we are informed about it time and again by those who operate in the area and who deal with homelessness in a real way. However, many of these solutions have yet not been brought to the table. As Senator Ó Domhnaill stated, the motion before the House may mean well but it does nothing to exert real pressure on the Government to pressure it into getting really serious about its commitment to end homelessness. I accept that there is good sentiment behind that commitment but, as is often the case, people are engaging in too much backslapping as opposed to making concrete demands for action. The motion would have been much better if it had contained real calls for action.

Services for the homeless are only part of the fight against homelessness. For the most part, they are actually the last resort. As a result of rising rents, years of austerity, distressed mortgages and lower wages, many families are teetering on the brink of homelessness. They are safe one week and at risk the next as a result of a bill coming due for payment, someone becoming ill or something happening unexpectedly. These families are not protected by homeless services, rather they are assisted by means of social welfare payments such as rent supplement and social housing. The supports they receive are all being either undermined or cut by the Government of which Labour is a part. Senator Hayden referred to the triggers relating to homelessness. However, not so long ago Labour Senators voted to cut rent supplement. Focus Ireland has stated that this cut led to a direct increase in homelessness and in the numbers at risk of homelessness and increased the pressure on many citizens. Labour Senators also voted to reduce jobseeker's benefit and allowance for young people. Focus Ireland indicated that this also led to a direct increase in homelessness, especially among young people leaving care or who had previously experienced homelessness. We cannot consider homelessness in isolation. It is extremely important to take account of these other issues.

As Senator Hayden noted, the motion recognises that the numbers of homeless people are increasing and that the most severe form of homelessness, namely, that which involves sleeping rough, has risen steeply. One does not need to look at the figures to realise that there was an 88% increase in the number of people sleeping rough in Dublin last year because these individuals are in plain sight like never before. Last year, the Simon Community's rough sleeper team made contact with 4,271 people. The vast majority of other homelessness people are far more hidden. The 88% figure to which I refer does not include the hidden homeless who might be couch surfing or staying in squats, hospitals or temporary bed and breakfast establishments. These people sleep on couches, share beds with siblings and friends and crash wherever they can. A colleague told me the story of a woman who came to his office and informed him that she shares her mother's couch with her two young sons. According to the council, this woman is not homeless. I know of families with two or three children who are living with their relatives because they cannot obtain housing. Things have fallen through for them and they have been left in limbo.

As already stated, the solution is political. There is a massive shortage of social housing. This is a legacy which the Government of which Labour is a part inherited but I am of the view that insufficient action has been take to overturn that legacy. I stand open to correction but in the capital, where housing need is at its highest, just 29 council houses were built last year. There has been a great deal of discussion with regard to NAMA which, in two years, has delivered less than one quarter of the housing it promised to deliver. This is not permanent social housing; it is another costly bailout for developers. It is also a mere drop in the ocean in the context of what is required. Focus Ireland's research indicates that social housing has been singled out for cuts in every expenditure review since the start of the recession. All aspects of capital investment have been cut but the amount allocated in respect of social housing has been more than halved.

We all know that the draft budget of Dublin City Council contained a cut of €6 million for homeless services. On the night on which the draft budget was discussed, however, amendments were made on the basis of a verbal commitment from the Government in the context of reversing the proposed funding cut. Will the Minister of State indicate whether confirmation has been supplied, in writing, by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the additional moneys - in the form of grants, etc. - which form the basis for the key budget amendments adopted at the council's annual budget meeting and which were referred to at that meeting as having been verbally confirmed? This is an extremely important matter. I wonder whether we should be funding homeless services in a way which places doubts in the minds of those on the front line at a time when the numbers of those who are homeless are rising. Perhaps the Minister of State will comment on that matter when she makes her contribution.

Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State. I was entertained by Senator Ó Domhnaill's use of the figure of 98,000. He clearly remembers a time when Fianna Fáil was in power.

Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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It is 816 in Sligo.

Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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Perhaps the Senator will allow me to proceed. This is not laughing matter.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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Senator O'Keeffe, without interruption.

Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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I am certainly not laughing. In 2011, when Fianna Fáil left office after a number of years in power, the figure for those who were homeless stood at 98,000. The current figure of 89,000 remains unacceptably high but at least it is going down. The word self-congratulatory was in respect of Senator Hayden. I do not know any other Senator who has spent so much of her time and professional life working with people who are homeless and trying to improve services for them. The Senator is involved with Focus Ireland and of all people in this Chamber she has spent more time with and knows more about the homeless. She is certainly not engaged in self-congratulation and nor is she seeking praise from anybody. I am of the view, therefore, that Senator Ó Domhnaill's remarks were well and truly out of order. I will not ask him to withdraw them because I doubt he would do so.

I welcome the many things which the Minister of State is trying to achieve. Trying to cope with homelessness is always an enormous issue for any Government. Homeless people are always with us despite our best efforts. Some of the efforts the Minister of State is making are welcome. In that context, the ring-fencing of €45 million in funding last year and this year and the investment in capital spend are both welcome. Trinity College Dublin produced a report on young people aged between 18 and 25, their specific needs when they become homeless and the very particular interventions that are required in respect of them. I am the Minister of State read this very timely study with interest when it was published last year and perhaps she might comment on its contents.

The Minister of State might expect me, not surprisingly, to refer to a particular category of homeless people who should not forgotten. I refer to the victims of domestic violence. She is aware of my interest in this matter because we have discussed it on previous occasions and I know she is giving some attention to it. I remind the House that the reason this particular group of women is important is because its members enter homelessness at a time of crisis. Statistics show that probably one quarter of women who are homeless first became so as a result of domestic violence. Those women then remained homeless.

That constitutes a large number of the women involved.

This issue is twofold. It is the emergency crisis for those women and the fact that they fall into long-term homelessness. The Minister of State knows that these women who flee their homes are not classed as homeless because if they have a share in the property or the land, they are deemed ineligible for housing support. This is somewhat of a contradiction. The local authority cannot declare them eligible for housing support and the executive officer who tries to intervene must declare the woman in question ineligible for rent supplement. They cannot be on the housing list so they cannot get help at the most vulnerable time for them. Many of them are in a very difficult situation where they must seek the assistance of strangers. It may have taken great courage for them to have left their homes, possibly with their children who are very vulnerable. Through a nonsensical situation that has arisen, and I do not think it arose on purpose, and a lack of common sense, these women fall into a terrible gap. They may be lucky and have a strong advocate. Certainly, I would speak on behalf of the domestic violence advocacy service in Sligo which works very hard on behalf of such women and may persist in talking with the executive officer on their behalf. Sometimes, it may get the rent supplement that is required but it takes an enormous effort and amount of energy and puts an enormous stress on those women and their children at a time when they do not need to bear such stress. They may have a safe house or refuge of some kind but, again, the Minister of State is aware there are not enough places. The international figures show that we should have 644 such refuge places but we have only 143.

In all conscience, we cannot ignore this group. SAFE Ireland, various legal professionals and academics have asked repeatedly for a change in Irish law to remedy this situation in order that in the Minister of State's review, about which she may be able to give me an indication, we may find a way that prevents the crisis experienced by this very small group of women - they are small in the overall scheme of the figures about which we are talking - from continuing beyond the moment they leave their home with their children and look for assistance. There should be some category put aside in order that these women are classed as homeless in a crisis, which would assist them in their time of crisis and prevent them from becoming homeless in the long term.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Byrne.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I have to go to the other side of the House. I do not have a record of Senator Keane indicating she was going to speak.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I have been down as a speaker and leader-----

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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As Senator Keane has served in the Chair, she will understand that I must go to the other side of the House.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I have been a victim of that rule.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I must go to the other side of the House. Senator Keane will be the next speaker.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I had my name in upstairs.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I do not have a list of Fine Gael speakers. I have a list of Labour speakers.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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What did the Acting Chairman think I was doing here - looking pretty?

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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This crisis is really frightening. I did not intend to speak in the debate because I probably spoke enough on other issues today. I have been in correspondence with Meath County Council, as probably happens with everyone else and their local authorities. The staff in the housing section got back to me today. Those staff are working incredibly hard. They cannot build houses. They cannot provide houses for people. When I looked at the different files on which I was asked to make representations, it was really frightening. I met a family on Friday night in a certain part of County Meath where the father is working and, as a result, the family does not get rent allowance and is facing homelessness very shortly. The family has an extremely agreeable and nice landlord who has been very helpful but he cannot continue with rent not being paid and the family understands that. Everyone knows that. There is simply nowhere to put the family at the moment. I know there are houses in the particular area that are empty but that have not been done up by the council due to lack of funding, contracts not being signed or various problems. That is one case.

Another mother whom I met for the first time two years ago rang me today. I am sure she has met some of the Minister of State's colleagues as well and is not restricting herself to me. This is a case where a child needs a wheelchair. People may find this case different and not interesting. That child cannot get the wheelchair because the dwelling in which he is living is completely unsuitable for it. There is nowhere to put the family, which is in an apartment. This child has cerebral palsy and the twin has autism. I am convinced the council is doing everything it can. I have been reminding it again to make sure but I am pretty certain it is. There simply seems to be nowhere to put the family.

There is a massive housing crisis in large parts of Meath, especially south Meath. Not only is there no social housing available, there is little or no private rented housing available as well. I know Senator Hayden has mentioned this on a number of occasions. There is nothing there. The family of five children and two adults that faces homelessness because it simply cannot continue the very high rental payments in this area was considering moving part of the family into a one bedroom apartment with another relation and the rest of the family into the elderly mother's house. That is where we are at the moment, which is really frightening. It does a disservice to the issue when the Labour Party said at least four times in the motion that it was welcoming things. We cannot support that and we cannot be asked to do so. There is a massive crisis that needs to be addressed.

We need to look at the capital spend. I know difficult decisions must be made by Government but the thing that happened in the 1980s is happening now. The capital budget is being cut to shreds while other areas are being protected. I wonder whether we would be better off cutting some of those other areas and spending more on capital, creating jobs and possibly solving some of these problems. I do not want to be too critical of the Labour Party because Senator Hayden has a very attractive record in this area and I acknowledge her good faith, interest, knowledge and expertise. I am glad she is on the Government side advocating on these issues. However, the crisis is just frightening and I do not know what can be done because the private sector is not doing anything because it is basically broke and the public sector seems to be in the same position or possibly choosing not to spend money that should be spent. We have a twin crisis of the lack of supply on the private side and the lack of supply on the public side and that is effectively driving up private rents. There are other factors at play driving up the rents but that is part of it. It is causing people to become homeless.

Due to the fact that rents for a normal house or apartment have become so high, people are moving out to what are in effect shacks in the country - little huts and cottages with leaking roofs and broken windows. I have seen them. Rats can run under front doors into people's houses. Those houses are right beside us. Unless we see how serious this is, I do not know where it will end because people are being put out on their ear and landlords are losing patience. In many cases, the landlords are good people who understand the problems and probably have their own problems. Of course, there are some bad landlords and I have seen them. We have procedures to complain about them. In many cases, landlords are working with tenants as best they can but it requires far more than 600 social housing units. I know the Minister of State has probably prioritised those for people with disabilities and people in great need. My heart goes out to the people in south Meath in the two cases I raised today - a family of five children and two adults facing homelessness and a child who cannot get a wheelchair because it could not be manoeuvred into the apartment he lives in. I do not want to play politics on such an issue but I am pleading for something to be done for these people who are just two examples. We all have cases like that in our clinics. They are all over the country. I look forward to listening to the Minister of State.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I congratulate the Labour group and Senator Hayden on tabling the motion. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to end long-term homelessness. Every aim and objective the Government has is not written down in the programme for Government but both parties in this debate thought that homelessness was one of the priority issues that had to be addressed and a commitment to end it was included. It is a big ask. I have great pleasure in speaking after Senator Ó Domhnaill who showed great indignation in condemning the Government for what it is not doing. When this Government came into office, there were 98,318 households on the waiting list.

Now, there are 89,872 households on the waiting list. Even in the good old days of the boom, there was still homelessness. The affordable housing scheme was good in theory, but it contained a clause under which councils could buy out houses, which meant that people needed to mortgage themselves to the hilt at a time when they should have been able to avail of affordable housing. The scheme did not work as intended.

There are various types of homeless people. Homelessness can mean much more than just sleeping rough. The Government has taken that fact into consideration, showing the Minister of State's holistic approach to homelessness. People sleeping rough are a minority, but we are serious about the issue. We will not hide. As Fr. Peter McVerry has pointed out, we know what the situation is.

Many homeless people are not counted as sleeping rough because, for example, they are staying in emergency hostels or shelters, temporary bed and breakfast accommodation or with friends and relatives. We are trying to do something about the policy issue and correct past mistakes. The significant increase in urban rents to which Senator Hayden referred represents a major problem. It is causing homelessness among people whom one would not have even dreamed could become homeless, for example, those who are out of work and cannot afford to pay the market rent for suitable accommodation. A number landlords are refusing to accommodate people if they are not professionals or employed even though they might have the wherewithal to pay some rent. If people can get references and prove their ability to pay, the issue of such refusals must be examined. It is not sustainable in the current economic climate. Too many landlords are unwilling to accept rent allowance. The amount allowable under the supplementary rent allowance must be considered, given the rents being charged.

We have seen people trying to exit homelessness. I compliment the NGOs on the great work they are doing, for example, Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities and Ms Alice Leahy of TRUST, which has been going since 1985. She could have been done out of a job had this issue been made a priority during the boom. It is being discussed now, but talk is cheap.

I have worked in south Dublin. This is an issue in which I had an interest. One of the first people I invited to Leinster House from my area was the homeless officer of South Dublin County Council. Organisations such as the Simon Communities provide valuable assistance in tackling the difficulties facing the homeless, for example, loneliness, isolation, poverty and poor health and welfare. They aim to help all service users to rebuild their lives and exit homelessness. The Government is committed to helping those NGOs that work with the homeless.

When the Government entered into office, the coffers were empty. One must cut one's cloth to suit one's measure. I compliment Dublin City Council, which reversed its manager's decision to cut €6 million from its homelessness budget. The Fine Gael and Labour councillors worked together to achieve that.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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And Fianna Fáil councillors.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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Yes.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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Fianna Fáil and Labour did a lot of shouting.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I know. Labour, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Prevention is better than cure. Providing housing is only part of the solution to tackling homelessness. We need to address a number of issues by providing funding to local organisations, including voluntary organisations, while also keeping in mind the larger picture. All types of people are becoming homeless because, for example, they have fallen short on their mortgage repayments. I welcome last night's announcement by Allied Irish Banks of new initiatives to help people with distressed mortgages. I hope that these will alleviate some problems. I ask other banks to follow AIB's lead. AIB will write off a portion-----

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator's time is well up.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I had two minutes. They could not be gone yet.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator has gone well over time.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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The Acting Chairman denied me my rights-----

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry, but the Senator has exceeded her six minutes.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Tá áthas orm bheith in ann deis a fháil labhairt ar an rún seo. Tá scannán faoi Walter Mitty sna pictiúrlanna faoi láthair, agus tá faitíos orm gurb é Walter Mitty a scríobh an rún seo atá os ár gcomhair anocht. Is léir go bhfuil-----

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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On a point of order for future reference, I believed that I was entitled to ten minutes as a leader.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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No, six minutes.

Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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The mover of the motion had ten minutes.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Mar a bhí mé ag rá, b'fhéidir go bhfuil an galar céanna is a bhí ar Walter Mitty ar an duine a scríobh an rún atá os ár gcomhair maidir le cúrsaí tithíochta in Éirinn. Is léir nach bhfuil na Seanadóirí ón Rialtas ag éisteacht leis na cásanna a bhfuil muidne ag cloisteáil fúthu ar an talamh - na deacrachtaí atá ag daoine tithe cónaithe a fháil agus an méadú mór atá ag teacht ar chúrsaí easpa dídine sa tír seo.

It is hilarious that the Labour Senators have decided to table this motion, given what is happening to homeless people. The motion must be put in the broader context of the Government's austerity policies, which are the root cause of many of the issues leading to homelessness. The Labour Senators in particular have voted for those policies like little sheep going through the corridors whenever motions on finance, social welfare, etc., are moved.

I will follow up on a number of the issues raised by my colleague, Senator Reilly. A number of the Government's social policies have impinged on people who are experiencing difficulty trying to find homes. Senators on the Government side and I raised the rent caps debacle, which saw people displaced from their houses because the cap and cost of renting did not match up whatsoever.

The motion welcomes the Department's return to mainstream local authority housing construction in 2014. This is quite funny. When Galway County Council was drafting its budget and we asked how many council houses it would build in 2014, we were told it would be just one, and that was for an extremely bad case.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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We have not received that application yet.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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It is what the county council's executives told us based on the budget they had been given. We hear much about what councils will get and how that will work. We have heard of many housing targets from the Minister of State in particular. When it comes to bricks and mortar and people waiting on housing lists, unfortunately, the words have not matched the action on the ground.

The motion mentions €100 million for building social housing between 2013 and 2014. Although we have heard this kind of number from the Minister of State previously, we have seen little of substance emerge in the aftermath. The housing budget has been cut by €58 million this year. Since taking office, the Government has cut nearly €300 million from the budget. Where will the €100 million come from and what will it represent in terms of social housing? At the end of last year, we were told that there would be €30 million for social housing. It soon became apparent that not all was as it seemed, and that it was really just a case of shifting money around to make it look as if something new was on offer. There are many visuals, press conferences, etc., but very little in the way of bricks, mortar and houses.

The Government must get serious about delivering housing. There is no point in tabling Private Members' motions to the House and wringing hands about the issue when there is no real action on the ground. One cannot have a housing-led policy without houses. Last year, Sinn Féin's motion on housing proposed that a number of funding mechanisms, including the European Investment Bank, EIB, be used to raise funds to build 9,000 homes over two years. This was ignored, but we have learned that the Department only recently made its first submission to the EIB. Ideas such as social housing bands that were mentioned in the programme for Government have gone nowhere.

Various organisations dealing with the bread and butter issues on the ground have aired their concerns about this issue.

According to the Simon Community the latest Government statistics indicate that there are 89,982,000 households on the social housing waiting lists nationwide. That is a scandal. The fact that people are in urgent need of social housing at a time when the State has virtually ceased construction of additional housing is unacceptable. The Simon Community has already highlighted that the provision for the housing stimulus package in budget 2014, although welcome, was very limited. The Government's commitment to end long-term homelessness by 2016 using a housing-led approach will not be realised without the availability of suitable housing with support. This is at a time when many people are being priced out of the private rental sector, which not only puts people at risk of homelessness but prevents people moving out of homelessness. It is clear that the people on the ground do not believe that the Government policy is working or will deliver the houses needed.

Another issue of concern in this regard is the draconian cuts in social welfare, in particular for young people. The social welfare payment for young people was cut to €100, which drove many of them out of the country. Perhaps it was a deliberate policy of Government to make remaining here so untenable they would take the bád bán or a flight and go somewhere else. For those who did not have the wherewithal to get out of the country, the reduction in payment has left them in dire straits. These are the types of people who are finding themselves homeless.

I know through my membership of the joint policing committee in Galway that there is an increase in alcoholism, domestic violence and so on. These are also factors in people becoming homeless. Those who are living on our streets are in dire straits, with many of them having mental health issues and no support available to them to help them get back on their feet. This is again due to cutbacks in the health area.

Although homelessness comes under the remit of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, I believe it is part of the scourge of the broader economic austerity policies put forward by this Fine Gael-Labour party Government, which are based on the model set up previously by Fianna Fáil. That people find themselves in difficult situations is exacerbating the fact that we have more people homeless on our streets. For Labour Senators to come into this House this evening and pat themselves on the back in regard to how well they are doing in regard to homeless policy is laughable. It is an insult to all the people who do not have a home to go to tonight and who will not be provided by any local authority with a roof over their heads, thereby giving them somewhere to call home.

John Kelly (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to the House and pay tribute to the work being done by her in the area of homelessness. I am happy to do whatever I can to help her in that regard.

As I have previously stated in regard to homelessness, it is criminal that it is permitted to happen. However, failure to deal with the causes of homelessness is an even greater crime. Before I elaborate on those causes I wish to take this opportunity to compliment the Simon Community on the great work being done by it, in particular its offices in Athlone and in the midlands. It is important its budget is protected, particularly at a time when charitable organisations are getting a battering and being painted with the one brush, some unfairly so. We must be mindful of this.

I found Senator Ó Domhnaill's contribution laughable. The Senator reminds me of an assassin in that he comes in here, fires a scud missile and then runs out the door as fast as he can. While in the House he throws around figures such as 98,000 and 198,000. While he appeared during his contribution to be passionate about homelessness and housing he left the house once he made that contribution. That is unfortunate because I wanted to tell him the reality on the ground. There may, on paper, be 98,000 people on county council housing lists. However, I have never believed that the number of people on local authority housing lists reflects the actual number of people seeking local authority housing. The majority of these people are forced on to these lists so that they can qualify for rent allowance. Many of them do not want local authority housing. Such lists are not a proper guide. The Minister of State is being criticised because of this guide put in place by the previous Government. The reality on the ground is different.

Two weeks ago, I spoke to a housing officer in my area about a particular house I was trying to help a family get and was told that the council had written to 23 families offering them the house but only two had any interest in taking it. This means, if that were to be replicated across the country, that 9% or less of the people on local authority housing lists really want local authority housing. I acknowledge the situation might be slightly different in Dublin. However, it is a significant fact that should be taken into consideration.

Since coming to Dublin, I have met with many homeless people. They are all over the place, including in doorways, and are often begging for money. I feel sorry for them and often to talk to them. I know from talking to a number of them - this matter was touched on earlier by Senators Hayden and Landy - that a homeless person who receives a rent deposit from a community welfare officer and become homeless again for some reason or another, perhaps a marriage break-up, violence in the home, drug issues which he or she could not handle at the time but has since dealt with and is back on track, is not entitled to a second deposit. Community welfare officers should have the discretion to grant deposits so that such people can secure accommodation because when they do they then have an address and can access social welfare payments such as rent allowance and so on. This issue needs to be re-examined.

Another matter of concern in the context of homelessness in Dublin, which could become an issue in rural Ireland, is the threat by the banks to evict people from their homes. I know from talking to qualified insolvency practitioners that unless a person has money the insolvency service will not be able to help him or her. This issue also needs to be addressed. I am holding a seminar next Monday night in my county, which will be attended by an insolvency practitioner who will inform people about what services are available to them. As things stand, it appears that this service benefits only rich and not poor people.

Another issue of concern mentioned earlier is that of qualification under the legislation in respect of county council housing. In the case of a marriage break-up, one of the couple often retains the house. Let us take the example of the man retaining the house and the wife and children moving out. The wife might agree to the husband remaining in the home because she knows that in the future the house will be there for the children. The legislation as drafted forces people to resolve the housing issue, which means they have to go to court, engage expensive barristers and sell the house, which in itself causes a degree of homelessness. Also, in the meantime the woman and her two children cannot access the county council housing list.

Another issue that will become very topical in the next week or two, which the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan needs to take up with the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan soon, is the proposed introduction of by-laws in regard to mooring costs for people living on boats on the canals and waterways. Approximately 400 families in this country currently paying only €126 per year in respect of mooring will if these by-laws are introduced now be faced with charges of €3,500 per annum. Many of the people concerned are retired English couples and families who cannot afford housing. It is within the Government's gift to decide to reduce those charges from €3,500 to an amount more acceptable to those concerned. If this proposal goes ahead there will be 400 or more additional families on the housing waiting lists.

I support the motion. I will continue to work with the Minister of State in trying to resolve all of these issues.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, back to the House. It is interesting that in the wording of the amendment to the motion put forward by the Government side there is an acknowledgement of serious underlying problems in the area of homelessness and in respect of the housing situation in general across the country. For example, it recognises that the number of people presenting as homeless in the greater Dublin area increased in 2013.

In fact, according to our amendment, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive has confirmed that rough sleeping in the city has increased by a shocking 200% in the past 12 months. Focus Ireland has reported an 18% increase in demand for its services this year.

Another element of the Government motion refers to the emerging shortage of affordable rental accommodation in Dublin and other urban centres, leading to an upward pressure on rents and the way this is impacting on people at risk of homelessness and those seeking to exit homeless services. Again, our amendment notes the underlying causes of the dramatic increase in rent levels throughout Dublin and the impact of harsh social welfare cuts on vulnerable households. We believe approximately 3,000 housing units are needed to address long-term homelessness. I am keen to hear the response of the Minister of State on those aspects of the Government amendment, because they go to the nub of the problem.

A further element of our amendment focuses on NAMA. As always, I was interested to hear Senator Kelly's contribution. His background indicates he has been at the coalface dealing with people who are the most vulnerable in society given his former role as a community welfare officer. He is obviously well-informed but what particularly interested me was his comments relating to social housing waiting lists and NAMA properties. I was somewhat astonished to learn that while 35 NAMA properties have been identified in County Leitrim, the waiting list is an astonishing 1,622.

John Kelly (Labour)
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On a point of order, I never mentioned NAMA properties. That is on the record.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I am simply saying that it astonished me when Senator Kelly raised the question-----

John Kelly (Labour)
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I never mentioned NAMA housing.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Kelly raised the question of the waiting lists.

John Kelly (Labour)
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I was referring to local authority housing.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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That attracted me to the waiting list for social housing in County Leitrim. The number is 1,622 with a population of 31,000 people, whereas in Galway city the corresponding number is 1,265. There is no comparison population wise. It raises some questions and the figures seem to raise some alarming concerns as well. Perhaps the Minister of State will comment on the county breakdown of social housing waiting lists and NAMA properties.

We believe there have been consistent delays in transferring NAMA properties and that there has been a failure by the Government to push forward with significant levels of transfers by the agency. In particular, local authorities require guidelines and administrative assistance to deal with the logistical and legal challenge of property transfers. Furthermore, voluntary housing associations have noted the administrative challenges of dealing with NAMA. While the Government is moving way away from direct supports to the housing sector, we believe it has failed to fundamentally redevelop the voluntary housing sector to meet the challenge of housing provision.

NAMA is committed to providing a social dividend in its work and utilising its property portfolio for local authority housing. Demand has been confirmed by local authorities for 1,515 of the properties that NAMA has made available. A further 799 properties are being evaluated bringing the overall total that may be deemed suitable to 2,316, potentially. However, in reality, as has been pointed out already, only 450 properties have been acquired to date. I am keen to hear the comments of the Minister of State in respect of the aspirations in terms of what NAMA has made available and what has actually been achieved as well as the reasons that there seems to be such a slow take-up. Perhaps it is do with the fact that a relatively small sum of money was put aside for NAMA social housing. We believe it has fallen short of the funds necessary to address the problem at hand.

The figures do not lie. There are approximately 100,000 households on the housing waiting lists in the State, equating to an estimated 200,000 plus citizens. Perhaps this is the nub of what Senator Kelly was saying, that is, this particular figure is probably not realistic and some people have gone on the waiting list to get rent supplement. I am keen to hear the analysis of the Minister of State analysis with regard to these figures and whether there is some truth or credence to what Senator Kelly has said.

I have no wish to attack the Government on its homelessness policy in any way. The last thing I want to do is to in any way impugn the integrity of the Minister of State in this regard. I believe the Minister of State is trying to walk up a down escalator. This problem is never-ending and it has had to be addressed by successive Governments. In the current economic climate, it must be almost impossible to try to square the circle. However, I believe the one thing that must be given is hope. I am keen to hear how the Minister of State will respond to the allegations that have been made in terms of lack of resources, the NAMA situation relating to lack of transfers and the situation relating to waiting lists.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O’Sullivan, to the House. I thank her for coming to deal with the motion on homelessness. I commend my colleague, Senator Aideen Hayden, who drafted and proposed the motion. I commend her on her great work with Threshold on the issue of homelessness and housing policy. Some people from Threshold are in the Visitors Gallery. I acknowledge the presence in the Gallery earlier of Councillor Dermot Lacey, the leader of the Labour Party group of councillors in Dublin City Council. I know he has a particular interest in the topic given that Dublin City Council councillors recently reversed proposed budget cuts to the homelessness budget in Dublin, a welcome move. That was an initiative led and championed by the Labour Party group and I welcome that.

We all acknowledge the immense difficulty of the problem of homelessness. Senator Mooney put it fairly when he spoke of it as an endless problem. Previous Governments in times of economic boom sought, with the best will in the world, to tackle the problem but were unable to eliminate homelessness. This Government has an ambitious policy objective to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. I welcome the fact that the Government has remained committed to that even in the face of economic difficulties. The Government homelessness policy statement from last year states that homelessness:

...has proved to be an enduring and difficult problem for many of the people affected, and for society as a whole. Central and local government and the voluntary sector have devoted considerable resources and effort to the issue and real progress has been made.

I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has announced a €100 million construction programme to enable the building of approximately 600 new social homes. We all recognise that is not enough and that other initiatives must be taken as well. Those on the Opposition side who have been highly critical of the Minister of State should acknowledge the progress that has been made and the policy steps that have been taken. I referred to the homelessness policy statement of February last year which was published to set out the objectives of the Government's response to homelessness. That has been superseded by the Minister of State's oversight group which reported in December. The Minister of State will update us on progress on the recommendations of the oversight group for meeting the target of ending long-term homelessness. A social housing assessment has been carried out and the Government has announced the new scheme for housing assistance payment to replace the current system of rent supplement for those with a long-term housing need. These are different parts of the strategy to tackle homelessness which has multiple causes and must be tackled, therefore, with a multi-agency and multi-factored approach. The housing assistant payment scheme has the benefit of seeking to ensure that it will not disincentivise people from taking up employment. Anyone who has examined the matter will be aware that this is a real problem at present. People who had been in receipt of rent supplement have lost the benefit on commencing full-time employment or if their partner commenced full-time employment. It is a poverty trap and the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, has spoken of the need to ensure that social protection schemes do not operate in this counter-productive manner, disincentivising people from entering work and amounting to deactivation rather than job activation measures. The proposed new payment will remove that difficulty because it will ensure that people will be able to retain eligibility for housing support even when they have taken up employment and I welcome that.

We all acknowledge that there are other factors and measures that must be adopted. I have spoken with the Minister of State's officials about the issue of construction of local authority housing. Senator Landy has spoken of the need to ensure an increase in the budget for construction of local authority housing. However, we also need to examine the way in which we target or focus resources on construction of housing. Construction costs have reduced and there are new ways of building houses, particularly with new technology, to ensure rapid build of housing.

Housing can be built elsewhere, transported and put into place. For example, we have seen a relatively recent development of what are strangely called permanent prefab structures for school construction. There are new ways of building that may be more cost effective and we should be harnessing these new technologies to try to ensure greater availability and supply of housing.

I know the Government's strategy has been housing led. We welcome that in our motion. The housing-led approach seeks to ensure that people can access permanent housing, and that is the primary response. There are several different ways in which this has to be done. The supply of NAMA housing stock is undoubtedly one of those, and that aspect of the Fianna Fáil motion is right, but we have also addressed that in our own motion. We have spoken about the need to progress other social housing support measures, including securing additional units via NAMA and the roll-out of the housing assistance payment. Our motion recognises the broad challenge that faces us in trying to tackle homelessness, and also acknowledges that there are many different ways in which this must be done.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I would like to thank the Senators - particularly the Labour Party Senators - who gave us the opportunity to discuss homelessness in the Seanad. In the course of my contribution, I will address some of the specific issues raised, but will also address some of them at the end. While I acknowledge that everybody spoke constructively, I must take the opportunity to respond to Senator Ó Domhnaill. The crisis in homelessness and the difficulty of supply, which has been going on for a number of years, is the collapse of the economy, which was presided over by the Fianna Fáil Government. Due to lack of regulation and due to reckless lending, development happened when it should not have happened and people got mortgages that they could not sustain. They often did this for domestic mortgages, but others became accidental landlords and are now charging high rents because they are trying to maintain unsustainable mortgages.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities allowed the construction of houses on flood plains when they should not have done so.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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That is the context in which we are operating. Since I became Minister of State, I have had a reduced capital budget due to a deal made with the troika following the collapse of the economy. Senator Ó Domhnaill seems to have forgotten all about the past. I am not going to say anything more negative than that, and I respect the fact that the other Fianna Fáil Senators spoke in a constructive and genuinely concerned way.

When I took up office as Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, I made it clear that tackling the issue of homelessness would be a priority for me. Homelessness is not a label or a category; it is a destructive social condition that can wreak havoc on human dignity and well being. Homelessness is also a complex phenomenon and measures to address it require an integrated approach across the Government. Many Senators made that point.

In February 2013, I published the Government's homelessness policy statement in which the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 was outlined. The statement emphasises a housing-led approach which is about accessing permanent housing as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. The availability and supply of secure, affordable and adequate housing is essential in ensuring sustainable tenancies and ending long-term homelessness.

I also established a homelessness oversight group in February 2013 for the purposes of reviewing the progress of the approach being advocated in the statement, identifying obstacles and proposing solutions. The group recently submitted its first report to me recently and a copy is available on my Department's website. The group believes that the goals of ending long-term homelessness and the need to sleep rough can be achieved by 2016. I believe it can be achieved by 2016 as well. It also believes that those objectives can be achieved within the existing envelope of available resources, though that will require a much more efficient and complete use of those resources. However, the group considers that progress towards those goals has been limited so far, and I acknowledge that. The group's first report focuses on the major challenges that need to be overcome to speed up progress, and it identifies the blockages that hamper progress towards the key goals, and recommends how those blockages might be overcome. I recognise the extent of the problem and the fact that new people are presenting as homeless every day.

Specifically, the group recommends the setting up of a high-level team supported by operational personnel to undertake the preparation and publication of a structured plan to make the transition from a shelter-led to a sustainable housing-led response to homelessness and to achieve the 2016 goals for homelessness. This plan will be a delivery plan on providing a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households within the next three years and mobilising the necessary supports. That addresses one of the issues raised by Senator Hayden in respect of focusing supply specifically on homeless people. It will contain actions that will be direct, immediate and oriented towards solutions. It is very much a practical implementation plan. The team and unit will involve officials from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, local authorities, the Health Service Executive and the Department of Social Protection. It is envisaged that the team would report directly to me, as Minister of State for housing and planning, and through me to the Cabinet committee on social policy. I am considering the group's report and its recommendations. I will consult with colleagues in the Government on the implementation of these recommendations, as appropriate. I hope to bring proposals to the Government on this in the very near future.

Past policy on homelessness was driven by short-term measures and an overwhelming emphasis on emergency accommodation. It is widely accepted that housing-led approaches offer the most positive outcomes for those experiencing homelessness. A housing-led approach is about accessing permanent housing as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. It includes the prevention of loss of existing housing, and it incorporates the provision of adequate support to people in their homes according to their needs. A housing-led approach will result in a move away from the heavy dependence on expensive emergency accommodation such as hostels and private bed and breakfast accommodation. While it remains important that a proportion of funding is maintained to provide sufficient bed capacity for those in need of emergency accommodation - I commend those who provide that service - resources must be channelled to deliver more permanent responses. The voluntary sector and the various homeless executives and fora around the country are working very closely with us on that.

The most recent data on the number of households qualified for housing support underpins the need for flexible and diverse approaches to be taken to increase the level of social housing supply. Homeless households featured in this data. There is no single solution to supply and my priority is to use all avenues available to me to respond to this housing need. Over €500 million in funding is being made available through my Department in 2014 across a range of housing programmes. I expect that in the region of 5,000 new social housing units will be provided in 2014. These units will be delivered through a range of mechanisms, including through continued investment in leasing and the rental accommodation scheme, the completion of existing capital programmes, mortgage to rent arrangements and the continued transfer of NAMA units.

For the first time in many years, the 2014 budget signalled a return to mainstream local authority housing construction. Senator Landy stressed the importance of that. A €50 million stimulus package was announced for the housing sector on budget day, €30 million of which is being made available for investment in local authority housing. This will allow for a new social housing construction programme to be developed over the period to end 2015 and for a retrofitting programme to return vacant houses to productive use as soon as possible. Some Senators referred to the need to bring back those voids into use for local authorities. I expect that this specific investment will deliver in excess of 500 new homes for households. The detailed arrangements for the implementation of these measures are being compiled by my Department at the moment, and in response to Senator Ó Clochartaigh's question about Galway, I expect to be in a position to announce details very shortly. In 2014, I am determined that the social housing programme will continue to optimise the delivery of good quality social housing and the return for the resources invested.

As acknowledged in the homelessness policy statement, the supply of housing is critical in guaranteeing the success of a housing-led approach. The homelessness oversight group, in its first report, referred to the challenges in maximising supply and recommended a number of solutions in this area. There is a need for greater innovation to accelerate the transfer of homeless people from inappropriate and expensive emergency accommodation into more appropriate and sustainable housing, and to identify the barriers and solutions to accessing a supply of appropriate and adequate housing. It is largely within the various social housing delivery mechanisms that we must find the adequate supply of housing to make a housing-led approach to homelessness a reality.

If we can specify that a certain number of those must go to homeless people and homeless families, we will do so.

I note again that 879 people in Dublin moved from homeless accommodation to independent living in 2012, and that figure is expected to be higher when 2013 end-year results are published. I commend the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, with whom we work, and the voluntary sector in that regard.

We do not have the funding for Exchequer-funded large-scale capital building programmes but I hope that in the years to come we will have more funding and I will certainly seek to maximise the amount of money. Currently, our capital building programmes are still relatively small. The non-governmental sector must play a key role in the delivery of social housing. Approved housing bodies have a record of steady achievement over the past 20 years or so and greater use must be made of the skills and expertise of the sector, in particular the capacity of the sector to attract additional external financial investment will be important.

In regard to NAMA units, which many Senators raised, my Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continue to work together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies to identify suitable NAMA housing units and bringing them into social housing use. This use may include addressing homelessness where a housing authority deems it suitable. We are looking to see if we can agree that a certain number of those units are for homeless people. By the end of December 2013, 596 units had been completed or contracted under this process.

To respond to Senator Mooney, I acknowledge this has been very slow initially but we have had a number of meetings with NAMA which has now set up a special purpose vehicle that is speeding up the process. We were up to 596 units by the end of 2013 and I expect it will accelerate during this year and that we will reach the 2,000 promised by the end of the lifetime of the Government. The homelessness oversight group, in its first report, considered the role of the AHB sector and NAMA units and recommended a number of solutions in this regard and we want to implement what it has recommended.

Traditionally, it has been difficult to quantify the number of homeless persons on an ongoing basis. This is, in part, a consequence of the volatility within this cohort of housing need. When the homelessness policy statement was published, I announced a set of indicators to be used to demonstrate the dynamics of homelessness as it is addressed. These indicators will give a clearer picture of homelessness in Ireland and, in quantifying its ongoing extent, will support the bringing forward of realistic and practical solutions. The Pathway Accommodation and Support System, PASS, was extended nationally in 2013 and is now operational nationwide. It will assist housing authorities to report on these indicators and 2014 will be the first year for which PASS will produce composite national data on homelessness. These reports will be published on my Department's website as soon as they are available. It is important we have accurate data on which to decide and implement policy.

People become homeless for a variety of reasons and, accordingly, a variety of responses are required. Dublin City Council recently released figures from the November 2013 count of rough sleepers which confirm a minimum of 139 rough sleepers across the Dublin region on a given night. This represents an increase of almost 48% on the April 2013 figure of 94, which is very concerning, or almost 60% on the November 2012 figure of 87. The increasing number of rough sleepers in Dublin reflects the gravity of the challenge facing the Government, the voluntary sector and other agencies in tackling the homelessness problem.

By the end of September 2013, 4,012 unique individuals used homeless emergency accommodation services in the Dublin region. This compares to 4,837 in 2012. The number of new presentations of homeless persons in Dublin averaged at 5.7 per day for the first nine months of 2013. I expect to receive the finalised 2013 figure from Dublin City Council within the coming weeks.

As all Senators have said, it has become increasingly worrying that the number of families presenting as homeless has increased dramatically in recent times. An average of 15 to 20 families are presenting as homeless in Dublin each month. Prevention measures are necessary and essential to ensure that families and all individuals do not become homeless, a point made by Senator Hayden.

The recently announced social impact investment project involving homeless families is addressing, to a large extent, housing supply for homeless families in the Dublin region. The Department is working together on this project with Focus Ireland, Dublin City Council and Clann Credo. This project will move 136 homeless families in Dublin out of private emergency accommodation into suitable long-term accommodation. This is an exciting venture which has the potential to create economic and social returns for the State. It will assist the most vulnerable in society and will provide them with a sustainable tenancy, a home and intensive support to prevent a return to homelessness.

This initiative showcases the combined effort of the State and the voluntary sector as well as the private sector in tackling social problems with a common goal of ensuring better outcomes for those involved. Families and society in general will benefit. I look forward to a successful outcome whereby valuable learning will be gained and this new model of financing social interventions may be applied to other situations in the future.

Approximately one in five households in the country are now renting their accommodation in the private sector, the largest share of the housing market since the 1950s. There is evidence, to which Senators referred, of rents rising far in excess of the rate of inflation, in particular in the cities, suggesting a lack of supply in certain segments of the private rented sector. Other data available suggest a growing pressure on rents especially in the lower segment of the market. It is notable that rising rents bring with them a risk of affordability issues emerging in parts of the private rented sector. My Department is exploring the possibilities for commissioning relevant policy research in this area, including in regard to the potential role of rent controls.

Many Senators said the rent caps, which come under the remit of the Department of Social Protection, are causing difficulties. They are reviewed relatively regularly by the Department of Social Protection but we all recognise this is a real problem. In that context, we are moving to the HAP situation whereby instead of rent supplement for people who have a long-term housing need, they will move under the aegis of the local authorities. The system of payment will be similar to the differential rent schemes. We are starting the pilots on that in the near future and we will eventually move to bring everybody, who has a long-term housing need, under that system. We are also looking to see if there are cohorts of people who can come into that system more quickly and to see if homeless could be one of those categories. I can keep Senators informed of progress on that.

Ending long-term homelessness is an ambitious target. Success will require an enhanced level of partnership between the statutory and non-governmental sectors. It is essential that all partners continue to work effectively together to ensure that every resource made available is efficiently targeted towards a singularity of purpose, namely, to end homelessness and to foster a resettlement culture that promotes independent living.

I am pleased my Department's 2014 national homelessness budget will be maintained at the same level as 2013, that is, €45 million, but I am acutely aware of the demand for services and the cost of delivering such services. This makes it all the more important that effective strategies are used to address and prevent homelessness and that people are moved out of homelessness and into independent living as quickly as possible.

Investment of more than €50 million was provided through my Department and housing authorities towards the provision of homelessness services in 2013 and similar investment is expected in 2014. In addition, the Health Service Executive expends in excess of €30 million annually providing care supports for the homeless. It can be difficult to identify tangible outputs in regard to homelessness services. However, since this Government has taken office, there has been a focus on the development of a more devolved allocation-based system for the provision of accommodation-related funding to housing authorities.

Arrangements were put in place in 2013 to provide for the delegation of homelessness funding to the lead housing authority in each of the nine regions, and this will continue in 2014. The regional approach is considered more appropriate as it helps to bring a more strategic perspective to bear on action to address homelessness, including avoidance of over-concentration of homelessness services in certain centres and promoting appropriate regional availability of services, consistent with need. These arrangements seek to ensure that the measures being pursued by housing authorities reflect the housing-led approach advocated in the policy statement, that actions are in place towards achieving the target of ending long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 and that evidence to support progress will be presented through the reports on the indicators.

I will deal briefly with some of the specific issues raised. Senator Hayden raised the issue of prioritising homelessness.

I have addressed that to some extent in my contribution but the Senator suggested a circular. We will examine the possibility of capturing it in a circular.

Senator Landy referred to the banks. The mortgage to rent scheme is operated by my Department for specific categories of people and it will be extended to cover people with local authority mortgages. I will make an announcement on that later because a large number of people have unsustainable local authority mortgages and they are at risk of homelessness.

Senator Reilly asked about the Dublin budget. My Department provided clarification because one of the problems with local authorities setting budgets is they do not know how much they will receive from the Department when they agree their estimates. We have given them clarity as to what to expect in this regard.

Senator O'Keeffe raised the issue of domestic violence and we have engaged with her on that. We are examining whether those who do not necessarily have a long-term housing need in these circumstances might be eligible to access HAP without having to prove they have a long-term housing need. That may well address that issue.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh asked about borrowing from the EIB. We have made an application for €100 million from the bank to bring flats in major cities back into housing use.

Senator Kelly raised the issue of mooring costs. I have will have to consult the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht about that because I do not know what we can do.

I hope I have addressed the issues raised. I thank all Members for their interest in, and commitment to, this issue. I reiterate my determination to end long-term homelessness by 2016.

Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Nobody can doubt the Minister of State's credentials in this area. Her social conscience is beyond question and we have witnessed that both in her interviews and the efforts she has made. The debate emphases one of the greatest challenges a caring society has because homelessness is a lonely and devastating place for people. They have no self-esteem and they are almost like refugees. For that reason, we have to admit we are losing the battle when it comes to homelessness, particularly as we emerge from the Celtic tiger era, which is surprising. The numbers of homeless have greatly increased as the recession has continued. A total of 100,000 households are on the social housing waiting list. In addition, over the past 12 months alone, there was a 200% increase in the number of people sleeping rough, particularly in the Dublin area. We thought some years ago that we had succeeded in finding a remedy for this. I presume the recession is part of the reason for the increase but the cuts in social welfare payments must also be playing a role.

I am sure the Simon Community is in as close a contact with the Minister of State as it is with me on a regular basis. The organisation is staffed by young, idealistic volunteers and I refer to their experiences trying to help homeless people overnight or in the short term. What is happening is catastrophic. I hope the Minister of State will examine the fundamental causes of homelessness. Some of the budgetary decisions have not been helpful. They were made obviously because of the pressures on the State's finances but when we debate housing issues, we begin to realise that more people have joined housing waiting lists because of these decisions.

NAMA's portfolio is raised regularly in the House. It is large but movement on it is almost at a standstill. Every so often, there is a story about the sale of a major building, the agency has a significant number of properties that could be used to relieve housing lists but it is argued that they would not be suitable. That is not true because the agency has listed the residential properties at its disposal. The hold up has to be administrative. It may also be legal and I do not know is what the main argument. The urgent need to deal with homelessness demands solutions to any problems that may arise and I cannot understand why NAMA has not released property when homelessness is on the increase. I am sure the Minister of State has tried to deal with the agency but sometimes one has to come up with different solutions because one cannot always deal with what is regarded as the norm. It is terrible that properties are vacant while people are lying on the streets not just of Dublin, but other towns and cities.

The lack of self-esteem among the homeless places further demands on the State because they are not able to help themselves. Where there is a family involved, it is serious and it undermines human dignity. The decisions that need to be made on homelessness should be the same as the decisions when we have a flooding problem. Homelessness should be treated as an emergency to which we must respond immediately. If we go through the slow motion of administrative structures, we will continue to have a problem. Local authorities say the greatest difficulties they face in providing housing stock are legalistic. People are putting obstacles in the way and I do not say the Government is doing that. However, we must engage with local authorities to find out precisely what are the legal problems that are causing them difficulties. The voluntary housing associations are telling us the same. They have done great work but they are dealing with bureaucracy and legal obstacles, which are preventing them from moving ahead.

I admire the Minister of State and she is doing her best but very often the obstacles do not come with her remit, whether they relate to NAMA, voluntary housing associations or local authorities. If the soaring increase in homelessness we have experienced over the past 12 months continues, the numbers will be frightening. The Government cannot keep up with the increases in the numbers on housing waiting lists on top of the 100,000 households that are waiting on social housing. Instead of making inroads into the numbers, which I presume are at their highest in the history of the State, we are adding to them. I do not have answers. All I can do is reflect and relate what I experience. The five issues I have mentioned need to be closely examined and if an emergency response is required, it should be provided.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I welcome Mr. Cathal Morgan, director of the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, Mr. Pat Doyle of the Peter McVerry Trust and Bob Jordan of Threshold who are in the Visitors Gallery. Councillor Dermot Lacey from Dublin City Council was also present earlier.

I would like to make a correction to the amendment, which relates to the shocking 200% increase in rough sleeping that was apparently confirmed by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.

My understanding was that the increase in rough sleeping was 50%. The number of people presenting to homeless services has doubled. I think that is a drafting error.

The debate has been helpful and I hope the Minister of State has found it so. I will not be quite so kind as the Minister of State about the performance of the 11 year Fianna Fáil Government. In 2004 there were 48,314 people on the housing waiting list. In 2011 that number had doubled to almost 98,000 people. In 2006, a total of 93,000 properties were built and between 2006 and 2007 Professor John FitzGerald indicated that there were 200,000 vacant units in the country. That is a damning indictment of what happened during the Celtic tiger years and it should not be forgotten. The reason we are talking about the macro-economic difficulties of housing supply, rising rents and rising prices is entirely due to that fact and there is no getting away from it.

I reiterate that we must understand that the increase in the numbers presenting as homeless today is a result of macro-economic issues, supply, demand and rising rents. In the early 1990s there was a significant increase in rents in urban Dublin which rapidly spread to other urban areas. Rents increased by between 80% and 100% in a short period. Very soon after that there was significant pressure on the supply of housing in the country as a whole so we should not take any comfort from the fact that it is perceived as a Dublin problem because it is far from that. It is an emerging urban Irish problem which will spread quickly. We need to be very aware of that. We also need to be aware that this Government does not have the options available to previous Irish Governments from the 1950s to the 1970s that were able to spend a significant sum of money generating large housing projects, which had the benefit of dealing with significant housing shortages and stimulating the economy.

We are in a very difficult situation when it comes to dealing with this housing crisis. That is why I wanted this to be a blue skies debate rather than narking about what this Government is or is not doing. I would prefer to see us with 6,000 units per annum at the cost of €1 billion, which will be the cost, rather than 600 units because eventually we will face a serious problem. The report by the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, suggested that at least 30% of people in this country will need assistance with housing. We will require approximately 15% of all housing in the country to be in some form of social ownership. Currently, 6% of our housing stock is in social ownership. There is no immediate solution to this problem. With no disrespect, I have not heard a single good idea today. I have heard positive contributions from some Fianna Fáil Members but nothing from Sinn Féin that suggests where the answers to this crisis will come from. I suspect we will return to this issue in the years to come. The Minister of State has made a couple of positive points.

Before I conclude I wish to address some of the snide comments made by Senator Ó Domhnaill about my supposedly self-congratulatory motion. I welcomed the Government’s ring-fencing of funding for homeless services in budgets 2013 and 2014. I am proud of that and do not think that is self-congratulatory. It is a fact. I welcomed the adoption of the housing-led approach to tackling homelessness which involves giving people a permanent housing option. I am very proud of that. For too long emergency provision has been a long-term option. If the Senator does not believe me he should go to some of the hostels in Dublin and see the people who have been living there for 12 and 15 years. I am proud of the Government’s approach. I am also very proud that we have adopted a deposit protection scheme, which was not mentioned here today but loss of deposits has been a significant factor in leading people into homelessness. I am very proud of the housing assistance payment, which will lead to a very positive and different approach to dealing with housing, particularly for those who are unemployed and stuck in the social welfare trap. I am very proud that we are returning to mainstream local authority housing provision. It has taken several years, not because the Labour Party in government has not been willing but because it has not been able and that was not our fault.