Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

That Bill provides for social housing reforms aimed at improving services and their delivery, including strengthening local authority powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, expanding the path to home ownership for social housing tenants and providing for the rental accommodation scheme. The Bill is due next year and our capital programmes contain a strong commitment to enhance the provision of social and affordable housing that is consistent with the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, report. The strategy to eliminate homelessness is proceeding and has been successful in many respects.

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