Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Let me clarify matters because I checked the response I received to a parliamentary question. There are 22,000 people participating in the HAP scheme nationwide, while there are 1,500 eligible homeless families. Since the scheme was introduced in February 2015, only three have been moved to other social support schemes. Only 356 of the total of 22,000 have been moved to other social support schemes. We were guaranteed that people would be moved to a transfer list and considered appropriately in the provision of permanent solutions. How many of the 356 have been in involved permanent solutions? How many of the three homeless families have been involved in permanent solutions? The information is available from the inception of the scheme in February 2015 to date in the latest quarterly report, for quarter one, but it does not classify or clarify to what social support scheme they were moved. Unfortunately, it again paints a grim picture. Units are not being supplied and permanent solutions are not being provided. I have heard initial murmurings from the Minister about the issue of supply and the onus or responsibility being on the Department and local authorities to deliver social units. They need to do what we need to do, which is to build homes. I hope and expect to see new supply initiatives along the lines recommended by this committee and elsewhere. If legislation is required between now and the time the Dáil goes into recess, we are more than willing to help and accommodate the Government to allow it to be done.