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

The Government recognises that hotels are not a suitable accommodation option for families. That is why we are supporting local authorities to develop family hubs and new housing projects, and to purchase vacant houses from banks or others. Last year there were an additional 7,000 houses in the system and this year there will be an additional 8,000 available for social housing. That is a combination of direct build, Part V, vacant houses that we buy through the agencies from the banks, as the Deputy says, and other properties that we source. That is in addition to properties we rent and have on long-term leases. Many houses are coming in. They will become available on a monthly and weekly basis and will be used to house people who are homeless and are on the housing waiting list too in order of priority. They come on stream every week and month and will help us reduce the numbers in hotels too. Family hubs also offer family living arrangements with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation with the capacity to provide appropriate play space, cooking and laundry facilities and communal recreational space while move-on options for long-term independent living are identified and secured. There are now more than 20 family hubs in place nationally providing accommodation for more than 500 families, including 19 in the Dublin region. This includes a family hub which opened in the Coolock area of Dublin this month. The Department will work closely with the Dublin local authorities to ensure that further family hubs are developed to reduce the reliance on hotels as a form of emergency accommodation. Moving families to homes is the ultimate goal but hubs offer a better form of emergency accommodation in the short term. I think the Deputy agrees on that point but they are not a permanent solution.

Earlier this year we saw higher than expected increases in family homelessness in the Dublin region. In response to this the Minister requested that the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE, prepare a report on issues impacting on homelessness in the Dublin region. The Minister received the report this week and a report from the inter-agency group on homelessness was submitted to him last week. The Department will review this and will take appropriate actions too. The difficulties that might arise at peak seasons or when there are events concern new presentations. They do not and will not affect existing families in hotels. We do have contingency plans for every night of the week if someone presents. That is why I said there is no reason for anybody to have to be accommodated in a Garda station or anywhere else like that. There are contingency plans in place for every night of the week for weather events such as storms and for concerts or other major events such as the papal visit. We have plans in place. We will certainly make sure they are increased in August which is a busy period anyway but they are for new presentations. They are not for people cleared out of hotels. That is not the case. They are for people who are not already in the system. I stress that we have many new accommodation solutions coming on stream weekly and they will bring the numbers down. Last year 26,000 families were helped. That does not mean that everybody gets the help they need. I accept that but if we can increase the pace as we are doing with new supply it will help provide solutions in the form of permanent homes.

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