James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

We are finalising our proposal on the over the shop scheme and what it will look like. We are engaging with the Department of public expenditure and reform. The work that has been done across the country to tackle vacancy and dereliction has been impressive. Local authorities have embraced it, as have people living in our cities and towns. The over the shop scheme is the next piece. In provincial towns and the cities there are a lot of commercial properties that will never return to high street retail-type shops. When people stopped living above shops, they took out the entrance stairs and things like that, so there will be additional costs. I expect to have that finalised soon with a higher grant for those doing over-the-shop work rather than vacant residential properties.

The tenant in situ scheme has been and continues to be a vital programme in preventing people becoming homeless. It was introduced when the eviction ban was being lifted. It was brought back as a temporary measure to alleviate the situation where people are at risk of becoming homeless. It does have the benefit of adding to the housing stock. However, it does involve significant funding and does not increase the overall housing stock for the country; it only increases it for the local authority. It is vital for those people who are prevented from becoming homeless, however. When I became the Minister for housing, there was only €60 million in the pot for the tenant in situ scheme. We managed to secure significant additional funding from the Minister, Deputy Chambers, to increase the funding available. However, with local authorities' applications having been forward agreed in anticipation of getting funding, it meant a lot of the funding had been spent by the time it was awarded. That left several local authorities in trouble. I continue to work with the Department of public expenditure and reform to see if additional funding can be secured. I am aware of the funding limits we have. We do need to maximise increasing our stock, in particular our social housing stock.

On the affordable housing targets, it is important to get the right mix - social housing, cost-rental and affordable purchase - where everyone can have access to a house they can afford within their means.