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

I have listened to the main points from Deputy Maloney in response to the contribution from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. I will make three points in return, based on my personal experience of the matter and the input I can give through the Cabinet.

The first point is that I agree entirely with the Deputy's argument that we should be governing with a mind to the common good. I can think of few examples which are more threatening to the common good than the number of families, in particular, now facing homelessness and the larger number which face the risk of homelessness. I have dealt directly with the matter through my constituency work and I know the incredible misery and stress this can cause. I also know the measures being taken to provide other forms of accommodation for people, including hotel accommodation, although that is an emergency action that is, in turn, unsustainable for families in the long run.

A second point is that we must examine additional measures to bring forward quickly a supply of housing stock in the short term. The Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, has outlined all the measures likely to improve significantly this matter in the medium to long term as housing stock increases but that is no comfort to anybody who is homeless tonight or worried about being homeless before Christmas. We must contemplate how we can quickly bring about different forms of accommodation that will offer respite to people, as we face a darkening position.

I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Kelly, about my third point and I am sure he is aware of the Deputy's view on the matter. I will relay it to him in any case. We must now examine measures relating to certainty of rents and what rents could look like in future. I know the Minister, Deputy Kelly, is working on that now. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and I will ensure the Minister is made aware of these issues at our Cabinet meeting next week.

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