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

I am just trying to put this into context. We are ramping up the supports that are necessary. Ultimately, we need homes for people through social housing programmes rather than emergency beds. In the short term, we need to increase emergency facilities.

We are also kitting out facilities for families. This will ensure families who find themselves homeless can make a proper transition and find a sustainable home through social housing or housing assistance payment supports. I will get briefed later on the detail in relation to Apollo House. I encourage Deputies to engage with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive with regard to the 30 people whom it was planned to accommodate in Apollo House, which is not kitted out to look after people with complex needs. The new emergency shelter we are opening in Francis Street, which has approximately 80 beds, is kitted out for such purposes. The shelter, which has all the necessary wraparound services and facilities, needs to be filled. As Minister with responsibility for housing and homelessness, I am serious about trying to work with Dublin City Council, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive and many voluntary organisations to try to put sustainable solutions in place and ensure nobody who wants safe shelter at night is refused it.

I take the point that is being made by those who have proposed this amendment. I will happily come before the House in one, two, three or six months' time to answer questions on these matters and to give the public much of the data we have been gathering since the summer. Opposition Deputies may not be aware that in addition to preparing three detailed reports on the patterns and pace of planning decision-making in the four Dublin local authority areas - the three reports relate to land availability for housing, delivery blockages and the wider funding of economic viability problems in the supply of housing through the Dublin housing supply and co-ordination task force - my Department is also tracking on a quarterly basis the progress of planning permissions in the Dublin area and the level of uptake in activity and anticipated additional starts. I must say that the signs are becoming more positive in this regard, with the volumes of pre-application consultations and commencement notices showing steady increases. We will make the details of the progress that is being made in those areas publicly available on the Rebuilding Ireland website in the new year.

I understand what is being asked for here, but I do not think this is the right way to do it. I do not agree that a one-off report that relates to a single point in time should be catered for in legislation in the manner that is proposed here. Instead, I should be giving the House information on a regular basis about the progress that is being made across a multitude of areas within the wider housing area.

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