Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the tenant in situ scheme, which provides critical funding for the likes of Fingal County Council to purchase homes to protect people at risk of homelessness. To meet that end we need sustained Government funding and it is essential that this must remain a priority. I am surprised that the allocation of that funding and unit acquisition numbers have not, as far as I am aware to date, gone to our local authorities. I am dealing with a growing number of landlords and tenants being put at risk as a consequence of these numbers not being allocated. We know housing is the issue du jour. As an emergency measure, we should be looking at extending the tenant in situ measures and, indeed, the Housing First scheme for people exiting homelessness. I therefore urge the Government to get those numbers to the councils as soon as possible. I did listen intently last week to be Tánaiste when he stated we need a whole-of-Oireachtas approach for solving the housing crisis. I genuinely welcome that sentiment. The Labour Party has brought forward today proposals and solutions for the housing crisis and in the vein of bipartisanship we would be happy to see them implemented.

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