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

The Deputy knows, more than most, the intense focus there has been on ensuring supply is developed following the disastrous lack of supply of recent years, the reasons for which I do not need to articulate. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has indicated that the current legislation that defines legal responsibility for the provision of homeless services, including the provision of accommodation to a housing authority, does not require change. I accept there is an extraordinarily big challenge in accelerating housing supply but Rebuilding Ireland has ensured that very many actions are under way, so that we can begin to see the supply that is needed and to provide the necessary accommodation. Nine months into the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland, there is strong evidence that the focus on increasing and accelerating supply is starting to work. Planning permissions for 16,375 new homes were granted in the 12 months up to the end of December, an increase of 26% year on year, and commencement notices for over 13,000 new homes nationwide were submitted in the 12-month period to the end of February 2017. There were 3,000 sustainable exits from homelessness during 2016.

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