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

I recognise, as does the Government, the seriousness of the housing situation, and that is why it is a priority and will be over the coming years. I recognise what the Deputy said about there being short-term and long-term issues, and that the short-term situation, particularly regarding renting in our urban centres, is at crisis point. This is why the programme the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, announced has short-term and long-term initiatives. The Deputy is familiar with the issues. The Minister has set a target of delivering 40,000 social housing units supported by an investment of €5.35 billion. There is an accelerated housing assistance payment, HAP, of €12,000 in 2016 and €15,000 in 2017 and various other developments such as the dedicated housing delivery office and housing procurement unit.

All these are intended to ensure the housing supply comes on stream as quickly as possible. We do not want people to continue to have to move into hotels. There is a very clear target that by mid-2017 people will not be in that circumstance and that hotels will be used as emergency accommodation only in the most limited circumstances. One of the keys to the Deputy's point is that rapid-build housing is essential and it needs to be delivered very quickly. The Deputy knows the targets that have been set for it. Everybody in the House recognises that it must be a priority area and funding must be, and is being, made available.

The Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, is very clear on the short-term as well as the long-term needs and that every help must be given to the families the Deputy described who find themselves in this situation. There is a strong programme and I have been at meetings where leaders from local authorities are doing everything possible to ensure there is a fast-track approach to refurbishing any housing stock in their areas that is suitable for allocation and ensuring the turnaround is quicker than it has been. Everybody recognises that we cannot have properties boarded up that could provide homes for families. It is a priority for local authorities.

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