Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

The tenant in situ scheme is the only thing that lies between thousands of families and homelessness. The Government, by starving councils of funding for it, is, in effect, abolishing the scheme. It is incredible. Dublin City Council's programme is now officially over as it has run out of money. Fingal County Council is the same. Carlow County Council has now run out of money for its scheme. South Dublin County Council is just about to run out of money. I am sure other councils are only a matter of weeks or months away from being in the same place. South Dublin County Council still has 700 expressions of interest from families who are in this situation and for whom there will be no funding to prevent them going into homelessness. Focus Ireland put it correctly in saying, "Government policy favours the vacant-possession sale on the market rather than the protection of the existing tenant". Will the Taoiseach reverse this cruel policy, properly fund the tenant in situ scheme and prevent a new tidal wave of homelessness?

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