Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It should be noted that more than 2,000 sustainable tenancies were secured for homeless households during 2015 which allowed people to exit homelessness. That is very important. The Deputy asked me to demonstrate the Government's commitment. I believe that many of the actions already taken demonstrate that. With regard to providing more emergency accommodation, the increased funding for 2016 that has been made available and is available to local authorities means that they should be in a position to increase the availability of emergency accommodation. We know the amounts that are being spent, for example, on hotel accommodation at present. Again, it is unacceptable and we need to move as quickly as possible from this situation. That is being done.

The programme of rapid delivery housing also demonstrates the Government's intention. Five hundred units are to be provided in Dublin to accommodate homeless households currently in hotels. There is the increase in the homeless funding, as I said, as well as the implementation of a Dublin region homeless pilot for the housing assistance programme. However, I take the point that the Deputy is making. She is highlighting the need for emergency accommodation. If it needs to be increased, and clearly Áine's story that the Deputy has told suggests that it does, the Government will put and has put the funding in place to make sure that happens.

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