David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Yet some of Ms Hurley's superiors, when they appeared at committees, spoke about it more as short term to medium term. I say that because in terms of the Rebuilding Ireland, they argue that after 2021 there will be a strategy to house some of the people who are in housing assist programmes and RAS into traditionally social housing. I am trying to figure out what the policy and targets are. It is very important for us to measure whether or not strategies are working and that there are benchmarks and targets. Perhaps I am wrong about their interpretation and perhaps my colleague is wrong. I do not know but I doubt it very much. If Ms Hurley is saying from her perspective it is long term, is she then saying the plan up to 2021 is to have almost double the number of people in HAP accommodation, from 37,000 in 2017 and whatever it is now - it is probably over 40,000 - and up to 83,000 by the end of 2021, which is double? I imagine it would also double the cost. We could be talking about €400 million just for HAP alone. That is them sorted. From the Department's perspective, their long-term housing needs are being met through HAP. Is that what Ms Hurley is saying?