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

Deputy Durkan and I are on the same page. We want progress to be made as quickly as possible. The Minister and I visited County Kildare recently where we met the Deputy at the opening of two new housing projects. Kildare County Council is committed to delivering more than 2,600 houses in the next couple of years, which will make a significant contribution towards solving the county's housing problem. We ask all local authorities to avail of the new delivery mechanism for getting on site and to use the rapid build programme to try to bring greater urgency to the delivery of housing.

Compared with two years ago, local authorities now have the staff and funding they need. In addition, sites have been identified and planning permission has been granted. More than 12,500 houses are already in the system. Local authorities delivered more than 7,000 houses last year and will deliver more than 8,000 this year.

I am much more hopeful than Deputy Durkan because I track the figures daily. We have systems in place to accelerate the process. We changed the planning process and funding arrangements and many partners have bought into the process. There is also greater engagement from the private sector through turnkey projects, enhanced leasing arrangements, the mortgage-to-rent scheme and various other schemes. If we can press ahead with these schemes and the initiatives to bring vacant properties back into use, I have no doubt we will get ahead of the curve. While it is disappointing that a large number of people are being declared homeless every month, we are now delivering the housing units that will help us to get ahead of the trend very soon.

See this speech in context