Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Tóibín again made reference to the private rental sector. I agree with Deputies Mattie McGrath, Michael Collins and Danny Healy-Rae. We need a functioning rental market. I take the point raised by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae about development and looking at planning legislation. I take Deputy O'Donoghue's point about infrastructure. On Deputy McNamara's point, we can look at the planning laws. As he is probably aware, properties over shops that are zoned as commercial do not require planning. This is something we can look at. I take Deputy Harkin's point. The RTB legislation is being reviewed.

I will finish on this point. People are speaking about local authorities not having emergency beds in place. We are working with the local authorities on 2,000 additional beds. Some 200 of these are already in place. We expect a further 1,000 to be in place by quarter 2. We are asking the local authorities to go out and secure these places. We do not want anyone to be homeless. We have put practical measures in place.

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