Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the emergency measures he is introducing during the winter ban on evictions to avoid a significant increase in homelessness when the ban ends on 1 April 2023. [60044/22]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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As the Minister is aware, many of us on this side of the House welcomed the introduction of the winter ban on evictions. However, we urged him to use the breathing space provided by the ban to introduce emergency measures to increase and accelerate the provision of additional social and affordable housing during the five-month period when the ban will be in place in order that many renters will not face a cliff edge of possible eviction when the ban ends. I appreciate that the Minister has staggered the dates to some extent, from April, May and June, but that cliff edge is fast approaching. I ask him to outline the additional measures he intends to take to avoid it.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the aim of the emergency winter eviction ban is to afford time for housing supply to increase and to reduce the burden on homelessness services and the pressure on tenants and the residential tenancies market. To assist in managing demands on housing services after the winter period and to ensure there is no cliff edge, as referred to by the Deputy, on 1 April, the ban provides for deferred notices of termination to take effect on a phased basis from 1 April to 18 June 2023.

As a further emergency measure, I have written to local authority chief executives, informing them again of my decision to continue the delegated sanction to purchase homes where a tenant is at risk of homelessness for the duration of the emergency winter eviction ban and up to the end of the transition period in June 2023, when I will review the matter again. That does not mean those sales need to be concluded; it just means the conveyancing process needs to start. Ultimately, increased supply across all tenures is key to eradicating homelessness.

Housing supply is increasing under Housing for All. There is a strong pipeline, with 44,715 dwellings granted planning permission in the 12 months to the end of June 2022 and nearly 28,000 homes completed in the 12 months to the end of September, greater than the total for all of 2021. There were also more than 26,000 units commenced in the year to October 2022 and we are on track to exceed substantially the target of 24,600 new build homes in 2022, with a substantial number of them being social homes. The record investment we are putting in next year, of €4.5 billion in capital, will continue and allow us to further accelerate the provision of social homes. We will be using this pause to bring forward additional homes. I will meet with the County and City Management Association, CCMA, again later this morning to further reinforce the situation and the Government decision in respect of purchase with tenants in situ.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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The way in which the Minister has designed this ban on eviction - it is very different from its predecessor - means there will be a large build-up of notices, the due date of which will fall on 1 April notwithstanding the stagger included by the Minister. I have not heard from him what measures above and beyond those that were in place prior to the ban he is taking to increase that delivery.

With respect to the tenants in situ scheme, I fully accept the Minister has reiterated the delegated responsibility. The problem is that most local authorities are taking decisions on tenants in situ based on their scheme of lettings. That is not appropriate in an emergency. I have written to the Minister on this and urged him to instruct local authorities to suspend the scheme of lettings when making a decision on tenants in situ, and to have a presumption to buy. I have also urged him to provide clarity to local authorities regarding mixed tenure schemes of social and affordable and cost rental, such as at Tathony House. If funding were provided to local authorities in advance in order to allow them to target a small and specific number of vacant properties, that could deliver additional units. I have been urging him to put in place a specific framework agreement for high-quality modular homes. Combined, these measures could create additional homes to meet the needs of those people whose due date will fall in April. Is the Minister considering those types of measures?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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To give an update on purchase for tenants in situ, we have more than 700 properties now. The number is increasing every day. I gave a commitment at the select committee last week that we are breaking up those data between homes. We had a target of 200 homes to purchase this year. We have well exceeded that. Most of the number above that is purchased with tenants in situ. I will gladly share that information with Deputies when we have collated it. I have been clear with local authorities and there is no issue whatsoever with funding. That function is now delegated directly to them and we are seeing more homes coming in every day.

As regards modular builds, we will be dealing with that next week in the context of the emergency measures I will be bringing forward in respect of social housing provision, increasing it above our target and focusing very much on modern methods of construction. We will be looking at lands we can bring forward, particularly with the land activation fund I brought forward to remove legacy debt on local authorities should they bring lands forward for use and begin development next year. Those are measures that will further accelerate the delivery of social housing.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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With regard to the tenants in situscheme, the problem is that local authorities are still applying the allocation scheme when taking decisions. That means local authorities are taking decisions not to buy, notwithstanding the numbers mentioned by the Minister. I urge him to issue a circular to local authorities asking them to suspend the scheme of lettings for an emergency period of six months to ensure we get the maximum number of tenants in situand have a presumption to buy. I invite him to give us more detail on the sets of amendments he is proposing through the planning and development and foreshore (amendment) Bill, on which there have been reports in the media. Obviously, we are keen to see those amendments. My party will certainly support anything that accelerates the delivery of social or affordable homes. Our concern is that, at the end of a Dáil term, significant planning change is being brought in with very little time for scrutiny. Any additional information the Minister can give us on that today or any briefings he can provide to the committee early next week would be appreciated. The sooner we can get sight of those amendments, the better for us all.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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As regards the recent media report, published yesterday morning, in respect of us setting aside the environmental assessments, that is totally incorrect. It was an incorrect report. There is no question of us doing that. We are drafting the specific amendment at the moment. I met with the Attorney General last night. As soon as we have that amendment, I will be happy to ensure that Government and Opposition Deputies are briefed. I would like us to be able to bring this forward and, as much as possible, get broad agreement on it because it is about accelerating social housing delivery, particularly through looking at lands that local authorities may have had for some time but are encumbered. The purpose of the fund I have brought forward is that, in effect, we will take that debt on and write it down for the local authority on the basis that it brings forward the delivery of schemes quickly.

I am also looking at measures around how we will manage that process for local authorities. I do not want this to be instead of other social and affordable homes that are coming forward. This is about additionality.

I will give a commitment to Deputies that as soon as the amendment is approved and drafted, we will look at providing a briefing, certainly by early next week. That Bill will come to the Seanad next week. We will give it a little time. I want to bring that amendment forward on Committee Stage in the Seanad, should we have it agreed. I will absolutely ensure that Deputies have sight of that because it will give them an opportunity, hopefully, to get their heads around the amendment we are bringing forward in order that we can get support for it right across the House.