Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, who is unavoidably unable to take the matter. I thank Deputy Moloney for raising the issue.

The Government is fully committed to addressing the issue of homelessness. There has been a focused and co-ordinated approach to tackling homelessness across Government Departments and agencies. The homelessness policy statement makes explicit the commitment to end involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. The Government is fully committed to achieving this target, though it remains challenging given the continuing numbers of those presenting as homeless.

A range of measures is being taken to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports in order to deliver on the Government’s 2016 target. These measures have been identified in the Government's implementation plan on the State's response to homelessness and in the action plan to address homelessness.

These plans represent a whole of Government approach to dealing with homelessness, and the implementation of measures identified in these plans is being overseen by a group of senior officials drawn from key State agencies dealing with homelessness. Progress in implementing both of these plans is reported directly to the Cabinet committee on social policy and public service reform.

The long-term solution to homelessness is to increase the supply of homes. A range of measures is being progressed under the Government’s Construction 2020 strategy which is designed to support an increase in housing supply generally. In addition, in November 2014, the Minister, Deputy Kelly, launched the Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020. This six-year strategy sets out to provide 35,000 new social housing units at a cost of €3.8 billion and restore the State to a central role in the provision of social housing through a resumption of direct building on a significant scale by local authorities and approved housing bodies. In addition, the strategy envisages delivering up to 75,000 units of long-term quality accommodation to meet housing needs through local authority housing support schemes. In the interim, while the delivery of these units is ramping up, a range of complementary measures is being implemented across Government agencies.

The Department of Social Protection continues to exercise discretion on a case by case basis for rent supplement clients who are at risk of homelessness as a result of demands for increased rents from landlords.

Under its interim tenancy protocol and national tenancy sustainment framework, "uplifts", or in other words, increases in the level of rent supplement normally allowable, have been granted to more than 3,500 households. A number of complementary awareness campaigns have been initiated to increase public knowledge with regard to tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities and where to access services and advice. The Dublin local authorities have been campaigning extensively in their region and the Department of Social Protection has been engaging directly with its clients. The Private Residential Tenancies Board has been overseeing national print, online and broadcast media advertising.

Local authorities are implementing a significant programme of returning void units to productive use, especially in the Dublin City Council area, where approximately 500 units have been brought back into use to date in 2015, with further works being progressed. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, is committed to the continued funding of this programme, with the expectation that the city council will have every lettable unit in its ownership returned to use in the short to medium term. Furthermore, the Minister has issued directions to key local authorities to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households in the allocation of tenancies under their control. He recently extended this direction and it will apply until 31 January 2016.

The Government keeps the housing market and housing supply issues in particular under review and further measures, including those relating to rent certainty, are under consideration. Intervention in housing market issues raises many complex economic and legal issues and any measures proposed must be balanced and have the desired effect on the rental market while being fair to landlords and tenants alike.

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