Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, the Department of housing announced it had allocated €265 million for housing acquisitions but it is unclear how much of that will support the tenant in situ scheme. We know from announcements that there are some restrictions on who can access the scheme. It seems priority is going to families, older people and disabled people. Single renters slip into homelessness at a higher rate than any other group and already the scheme is failing to address real need, even for those who apparently would have priority. It is increasingly difficult to prevent renters who receive an eviction notice from falling into homelessness because so many of us are finding gaps and flaws in the tenant in situ scheme, even where landlords want to help and even where individuals might be able to become a social tenant. Will the Taoiseach reassure us that Government will provide sufficient resourcing to meet the real needs of those who are at risk of homelessness, who are receiving notices and who are desperate to see the tenant in situ scheme activated and that single people as well as families and others will be able to access the scheme?

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