Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness includes the objective that, by mid-2017, hotels will be used only in limited circumstances as emergency accommodation for families.

It is intended that the long-term housing needs of those currently homeless, including those families currently accommodated in hotels, will be met through housing supports, such as the enhanced housing assistance payment scheme and general social housing allocations. Significant outputs are being achieved in this regard. Housing authorities achieved more than 3,000 sustainable exits from homeless accommodation into independent tenancies during 2016, which was a record level of activity in a calendar year.

Housing authorities are also pursuing a range of supported temporary accommodation initiatives to provide accommodation for homeless families with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotels, while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Furthermore, such arrangements will facilitate more co-ordinated needs assessment and support, including on-site access to required services, such as welfare, health, housing services and appropriate family supports.

We are confident that the mid-2017 objective relating to hotels, as set out in Rebuilding Ireland, will be met. At this stage we are having weekly meetings to ensure we meet that objective. This goes back to ensuring that all those involved in making this happen are fully equipped to do this and to make the resources available. We have asked them about it across a range of measures to ensure we reach this target.

I agree with Deputy Ó Broin. We will be judged on the progress of Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness in the context of that figure. We cannot over-emphasise that point to everyone. Deputy Ó Broin will stress the point to us and he will hold us to account in that regard. The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, set that ambitious target on purpose to ensure we get there.

Would we have preferred to see more movement earlier in the process? Certainly, we would. However, let us consider the trends now in recent weeks and months. We will get there. We are on track to do it. There has been a high level of presentations in recently months. The level is probably higher than any of us would have believed possible or would have wanted to see. The levels are very high and that is affecting movement here. However, we are still confident we can reach our target by mid-2017.

See this speech in context