Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----houses where a tenantin situ, whether under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, or the housing assistance payment, HAP, was on the cusp of being evicted. Since this measure was introduced, close to 650 houses have been bought or are in the process of being bought by local authorities. That is a significant intervention. Every mechanism the Minister can use to avoid homelessness is being used. That needs to be said. That has happened. He has given the freedom of manoeuvre to the local authorities to buy those houses. Up to 650 houses have been bought or are in the process of being bought, and this is in addition to the wide range of supports that are also provided in a bid to prevent evictions.

Turning to the legislation that the Minister will introduce, today is Tuesday and I respectfully suggest that if we brought something in right now and said that we were going to get it rammed through by Wednesday, then all the Deputies opposite would oppose it and say this was shocking.

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