Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is outrageous that this is allowed to happen.

What about those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness? Ms Annette Kennedy is chairman of the Bray Homeless Forum and she told me that in Bray, emergency accommodation was created for 16 people at the end of last year, which is welcome. She indicated that these places are already full and there is a waiting list, and if we cannot move on these people, we will be entering a minefield as more people are being pushed from rental accommodation, rent allowance does not cover rents and renters have no rights. She does not know why the Government cannot negotiate with landlords. In May 2013, the Bray Homelessness Forum found there were 58 homeless people in Bray, with 16 of those children. The forum held an event last month highlighting the drop in social housing and private accommodation at a time when demand for housing is increasing, rent supplement is falling short of real rents and landlords are not willing to accept tenants on rent supplement. It is outrageous.

I have many potential solutions. I have already written to the Minister about some of these, such as the mortgage-to-rent idea. Some of these many solutions cost money, which needs to be found, but many do not have a cost. All of the solutions should be implemented by the end of this year by the Government.

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