Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will have to come back to the Deputy on the detailed numbers relating to those homes. I think they were some time ago and, if I recall correctly, a number of them were not in areas where there was a high level of demand for social housing. As a result, they were not all suitable for social housing. I will certainly get the details on that and give the Deputy a detailed answer by correspondence.

The Government cares a lot about homelessness, not just at this time of the year but at all times of the year. As Taoiseach, I care a lot about it too and, as I have said before, I consider homelessness to be a stain on our society. We need to do everything we can to reduce it - and eliminate it if possible - in the months and years ahead. In the past week or two, I visited a family hub to meet some of the homeless families who live there. I also met some rough sleepers to try to understand a bit better their experience and what they face. Among the actions the Government is taking is an €18 million increase in the budget for homelessness services next year, bringing the total up to €118 million. The number of families in bed and breakfast establishments and hotels is down substantially from when it peaked last spring as a result of the development of family hubs, of which there are many more coming on stream. An additional 200 emergency beds for rough sleepers are being put in place in the coming weeks to ensure that there will be a bed available for everyone who needs one - not just at Christmas but into the new year, over the winter period and into spring and summer. A particular effort is being made to encourage people to use these new beds, which are in single and double rooms and not dormitories.

On Sunday night, which was very cold, an analysis was carried out and major efforts were made in the Dublin region by the staff of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive and others to make sure all rough sleepers had the option of emergency beds and ten beds for females were unused, while there was one male bed vacancy. No one was not placed. As recently as Sunday night, there was adequate capacity in the system to provide an emergency bed in Dublin for every man or woman who wanted one.

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