Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, obviously we are fully briefed on that by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, but there are different figures for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE, area and the various local authorities and the figure in Dublin varies a lot from the figures in other areas. We did take action during the period of the eviction ban. More than 5,000 new social homes were constructed. Some 450 emergency accommodation units were added. I can also give the Deputy the figures on leasing and voids.

What the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage acknowledged, which I also acknowledge, is that when the eviction ban ends, which it will at the end of this month, the number of homeless people in State-provided emergency accommodation, could continue to rise. Let us not forget that it rose every month that the eviction ban was in place. Unfortunately, the eviction ban did not reduce homelessness. We believe it is likely that the trend will continue. Some people say it will accelerate and increase at a faster rate. Some people say it will not. We do not know that for sure, but the main thing we want to do is do everything we can to avoid that happening. That means stepping up homeless prevention. Many of the NGOs do a lot of very good work in the area. We are keen to fund them to increase the amount of prevention work that is done. It often goes unseen, but it is the most cost-effective action we can take is to prevent homelessness in the first place, and also really stepping up the tenant in situpurchase by local authorities. I really want that to happen. I appeal to city and county managers to embrace this and use this mechanism to avoid people ending up in emergency accommodation in the first place.