Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I recognise that we need up to date and comprehensive data on housing need on an ongoing basis. In order to ensure that we have these data, the social housing strategy includes a commitment to undertake housing assessments on an annual basis from 2016 onwards. This is necessary and every Deputy should accept that it will be helpful. In the meantime, throwing figures based on a flawed method is to play politics and be unhelpful, and is being done for the wrong reasons.

We are working to house everyone, including all households identified as being in housing need. We have made provision to deliver the required 90,000 social housing solutions, with flexibility for future growth in demand. We have got off to a good start in 2015 by meeting the needs of 13,000 households on the waiting list, but that is just the start. It represents an 86% increase on 2014, but I want to see that increase to 17,000 in 2016, to which end I have put in place funding.

For those Deputies who are genuinely interested in housing, this afternoon I published a report on social housing output in 2015. I encourage the only two Deputies who remain opposite to read it.

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