Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are two discrete and separate issues. One is dealing with homelessness, and we have a strategy to do that over the next three years. Then there is the normal housing situation, which is also now an acute problem that we need to address separately. They overlap but they are two separate issues.

I agree with what has been said about Part V. I have heard first-hand testimony from many of my colleagues where a developer was allowed build up-market houses in one location and social housing in a completely separate location, and separated those who would populate each of those houses. That was not an effective or socially desirably way of dealing with Part V and it is something we have to address, but it is not in my area of responsibility.

I fully accept that we need to have a joined-up Government approach to the housing issue. Where it falls to me, this is a confined question on public sector property and we will look at that. However, that will not be a solution. Retrofitting a Garda station for accommodation is a tokenistic response, although it will be important to the individual families. To really solve the problem, we need to tackle the supply issue that has been identified by Deputy Wallace.

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