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

The Department has clearly not got the message that there is a major crisis in housing. The Government announced a package of €3.8 billion over six years, with €2.5 billion provided in the first three years and €1.3 billion available for the three subsequent years. However, the Government is unlikely to be in office for much more than another six months.

Instead of building social housing, local authorities are entering leasing and rental arrangements and relying on schemes such as the housing assistance payment.

The Government woke up a little after the death of Jonathan Corrie. I attended one emergency meeting after another on homelessness after Mr. Corrie's death and 268 places were subsequently provided for single homeless persons. However, the problem has worsened since the death of Jonathan Corrie, with 40 families being made homeless every month. In response to the crisis, the Government has allocated money for long-term projects that will take a number of years to deliver. Emergency measures are required immediately to tackle the scandal of 1,000 children sleeping in homeless accommodation every night. Some of these children must travel across Dublin to a hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation each night and travel back across town every morning to attend school. This is costly and is placing serious pressure on families.

Time out of number, I have asked the Minister questions on financial contributions, yet he has still not provided me with figures. He should apply pressure to local authorities to introduce financial contributions. Dublin City Council and other local authorities are starting to buy properties, both new and old. We have a problem which needs to be addressed urgently.

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