Mr. Se?n Moynihan:

With an ageing population, we need to look at the housing needs of older people. We have a situation, since the last census, of an 83% increase of over-65s renting. Obviously, in old age, most people need safety and security and the private rented sector just does not provide that. Some 2,000 people are on the social housing waiting list, which is the highest it has ever been, and it is rising. It is the only age group that is rising radically. The challenge here is that this is really only the thin end of the wedge. As one goes back to the over-45s and over-55s, one sees more and more people who are going to retire into private rented accommodation. How will that be managed? How will people cope? How will they pay the rent? We all know that when you retire, there is a huge drop in your income, no matter what scenario you are in. Regardless of anything, we will all face physical frailty or health challenges at some stage in our life, which means that the private rental model just does not provide the necessary safety and security.

We would ask Deputies to consider, other than that, if we are putting a whole generation on HAP. Will that payment be at a level such that people can remain in the communities that they have worked in, contributed to and lived in all their lives? That is the challenge. There is a systematic lack of policy decisions that could lead us to problems. We want every age group and the 13,000 people who are homeless to have a house. Behind that is a whole age group that could dwarf what is currently happening.