Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister anticipated some of what I was going to say. I do understand the complexities of transferring from the rent supplement scheme to the HAP scheme but the elephant in the room is the lack of social housing. Under whatever scheme the Minister assists people the lack of social housing is a constant. There is a gross lack of social housing at the moment.

Does the Minister agree with Social Justice Ireland and others that the Government’s provision for 5,000 extra social houses in last year’s budget only scratched the surface? In her previous incarnation as a spokesperson, I recall the Minister expressing the hope and aspiration that there would be a social dividend from the National Asset Management Agency. Has anything by way of social housing come from it?

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