Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Some 6,000 families and individuals have been housed through the rent supplement scheme in the first six months of this year. This is a significant number and a further 2,000 protocol arrangements have been reached to prevent homelessness by renegotiating tenancy arrangements for families at risk of losing their homes. This is also significant. The community welfare service is available to assist with cases, as is Threshold and a number of the housing organisations.

The Deputy referred to the local authority, Dublin City Council, closing a premises that could be used for homeless people.The practice by local authorities of closing up and voiding premises that become vacant is wrong, as the Minister has indicated on many occasions.

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