Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Since 2008 there has been a cut of almost €1 billion in the housing budget. The National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, has only delivered 400 units. Next year, Dublin City Council will only build 18 houses, aside from the regeneration projects. This is an absolute tragedy. Local authorities are unable to turn over their properties because they do not have the money to do so. Where will we get the housing? A housing-led approach is one thing, but we need housing to adopt that approach. That is the problem. I have been dealing with people who are losing their houses because the banks are seeking to repossess them. They come from different parts of the country and they are being told that they must put themselves in a homeless situation. That is happening more often.

Time and again Deputy Humphreys and I have been told about solutions to homelessness and have seen documents produced to solve homelessness. We could paper the walls with them. We must get real about this. If we do not build more social housing, we face a major tragedy. I cannot see how this figure can be reached in 2016 on the basis of what is being done.

See this speech in context