Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. Part of the problem is that many of the things he is outlining are not going to be coming on-stream, particularly for those who are in emergency accommodation for very long periods. The driving causes of homelessness are the shrinking nature of the private rental sector, increasing numbers of vacant possession notices to quit, increasing presentations and a dramatic fall-off in the number of exits both for single people and families. If we look at exits from homelessness in Dublin, for example, there was an average of 141 per month in 2019 and 186 per month in 2020, falling to 58 in 2021 and to 30 or 40 a month this year. That trend is going to continue. Nothing the Minister has outlined to date is going to address that trend in the short to medium term.

I am very concerned with the latest circular the Minister has issued to local authorities. I do not believe it gives adequate flexibility. It is too rigid and will only result potentially in a very small number of people being prevented from falling into homelessness through the tenant in situscheme. I urge the Minister to be more flexible and to engage with the Opposition to ensure the measure does much more in the weeks and months ahead.

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