Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)

The Minister outlined the amount of money given to the tenant in situ scheme. Two weeks ago, I raised with the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, the 33 families in Cork whose houses were sale agreed. Cork City Council was going to buy the houses but on 4 April it informed Cork City Council councillors that there was no money left to go ahead. I was told the Government was going to consider it and talk to people about it. Yesterday, I spoke to a lady, Amy, who was meant to be out of her house in February. It was supposed to be purchased in April. She got an email two weeks ago telling her and the landlord it was not going ahead and that she had to be out of the house at the end of May.

There are 44 adults and 26 children who will be homeless in the next couple of weeks if that money is not given. I am pleading with the Minister to allocate that extra funding, not only to Cork City Council but to Dublin, Limerick and Kildare. I have been contacted by local authorities right across the State. They need that money.

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