James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are a number of options available to local authorities. We are delivering record numbers of social housing, for example, which means people who may be facing homelessness can be moved into social housing. We are also providing HAP and RAS supports to local authorities. The tenant in situ scheme is only one method of support.

When I became Minister for housing, €60 million was available. I received significant additional funding from the Department of public expenditure and reform and that funding has been provided to local authorities. Local authorities forward agreed to purchase a significant number of properties under the tenant in situ scheme. As a result, when that funding was allocated most local authorities found themselves with very little funding left.

It is not possible for the State to solve homelessness through buying up existing properties. That is not how we are going to address homelessness. We will address it by increasing supply. All of my decisions in recent weeks have been about driving supply of homes. Otherwise, we will have a worse homelessness situation. I do not want to see the figure the Deputy cited reached and I am doing everything I can to stop that happening. However, until we increase the supply of homes we will be in a very serious situation. Those families and children are in a dire situation. That is what motivates me every day to drive on with housing delivery.