Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----some measure of reality. The Ministers, Deputies Coveney and Varadkar, increased the rent supplement and the HAP in July. The challenge here is to deal with supply. There is a series of schemes to bring vacant properties back into good use for families. We had a situation where any vacant property in Dublin was being completely gutted and refurbished as a brand new build at excessive cost. That was changed to be a practical component whereby one provided a decent house - well insulated, warm and comfortable - for families. That is an issue that is part of the provision of many more houses that were vacant for a long time and are now being brought back into use.

There are 220 extra beds being provided for rough sleepers on an emergency basis, bringing the total to 1,800. I do not want to see anybody on the streets this Christmas, and there was not anybody on the streets last Christmas except those few people who wanted to be there and who, as Deputy McDonald knows very well, have a variety of complications, difficulties and challenges and never wanted to be in accommodation - hostel, rental or whatever - in the first instance.

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