Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It is being scrapped. As it stands, it absolutely is being scrapped. If what he said makes the Minister sleep at night, that is fine. He is making this scheme so restrictive now, though, that it guarantees homelessness. It guarantees it. We will see the evidence play out. How is there an evidence-based approach to say "No" regarding the tenant in situ scheme? The Government can still call it something. It can call it whatever it likes. If one speaks to council officials and people receiving it, they will say they are concerned because what is eligible now will not be under this new scheme, creating homelessness for families who are safe and secure. I should be standing here applauding the last Government for the introduction of this policy. It was working. Is what is being done now being done because it is too expensive? Is it because it is too successful? I sincerely am trying to find out why we would decide to change this piece of the policy because it does not make any fathomable sense whatsoever.

I refer to any property now being considered. As a county councillor, I was around in the last term when a few people were thrilled to have gone through this scheme successfully . A council, however, cannot take a property without any sort of refurbishment costs being provided. It is nonsensical. The Government and the local authorities will have standards, rightly so. For this scheme to not allow for recoupable costs with any sort of refurbishment works will, in and of itself, restrict a significant proportion of units being considered for this process. A house must be used for two years as a social house for it to be eligible. Where is the sense in that? Why would it not follow the people, as opposed to the property? Who is making these decisions? It genuinely makes no sense whatsoever.

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