Dáil debates

Wednesday, 28 September 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Homeless Accommodation

11:50 am

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern for both me and the Government. We are doing everything in our power to tackle this problem, both by increasing housing supply, which will increase substantially this year, and investing in homelessness prevention. Yesterday, we allocated €215 million which is a substantial increase on the previous year in supports for those who are homeless.

I have introduced further measures to increase supply, including the new voids programme - some 2,450 voids will be brought back into use this year, with an emphasis on quick turnaround and reletting - the pilot expansion of the repair and leasing scheme and the reinstatement of the delegated sanction to local authorities for social housing acquisitions. Every local authority is being given the delegated power to purchase homes that come on the market with tenants in situwho are HAP or RAS tenants. I want to be clear that they do not need to come back to me for approval and they need to purchase them. That is a very proactive measure that is there to assist people who have been issued with notices to quit and who are on our housing transfer waiting list. I am encouraging this and have directed local authorities to do that. I will further reinforce that measure on 13 October when I have the housing summit with the chief executives and the directors of services of all local authorities in the country. Since I introduced that measure, we have seen over 300 new homes come in that we have purchased or we have entered into contracts with or are entering into contracts to purchase homes with tenants in situ. We are bringing in that measure while we are increasing the social housing supply. As stated earlier, we will deliver more new build social homes this year than in any other year in the history of the State. The activation and the prevention measure through purchasing and acquiring homes with tenants in situis one that is taking hold now and I want local authorities to do it.

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