Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me answer the question. Deputies have raised the issue of families who are homeless in Dublin this evening. We are not going to be able to build houses for them by tomorrow, next week or in two weeks' time. However, we may be able to access rental accommodation for them in the meantime. I agree that we need to build many more social houses, and there are many ways we can do it. In Northern Ireland, nearly all social housing is built by approved housing bodies working with a housing agency. Something similar is happening in mainland UK. We are considering models that will deliver much more social housing. We have committed nearly €3 billion to the programme and may commit more, I hope. We will also have to rely on the private rental sector to house many families. To begin committing to an exact 70:30 mix is not to accept the realities we face. We need to ramp up dramatically the build and acquisition programme and conversion from vacant to useful properties in social housing stock. I am committed to all this. I also recognise that, for many families, the private rental sector will be a solution to their social housing need.

See this speech in context