Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This will leverage private finance and provide at least another 2,000 housing units over the period 2016 to 2018. The Government believes it is entirely appropriate that the disposal of one State asset should finance a different State asset which meets an urgent social need. Overall, this large-scale investment will fund the provision of well in excess of 10,000 housing units between now and 2018.

In addition to capital funding, the introduction of the housing assistance payment will support the social housing needs of 8,000 households. An additional 3,000 households will be housed by local authorities through the leasing of houses next year.

I am also pleased to announce that an additional €10 million will be provided for accommodation and related services for homeless persons. This will increase the annual expenditure for tackling homelessness to €55.5 million next year. This goes beyond the Government’s existing commitment to maintain expenditure at the 2013 level of €45 million to 2016.

Society - Supporting Jobs and Enterprise

Unemployment is falling faster than almost everywhere else in the EU. It now stands at just over 11%, down from a high of 15.1% in early 2012.

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