Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle as ucht an cheist seo a phiocadh. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach do Ghaillimh agus do chórais áitiúla ar fud na tíre. Tá an scéim seo ann chun cosaint a thabhairt do thionóntaí atá i dteach agus é ar intinn ag an tiarna talún an teach a dhíol. I gcásanna mar sin, is féidir leis an tiarna talún dul chuig an chóras áitiúil agus an chéad rogha a thabhairt dó an teach a cheannach. Mo léan géar agus faraor géar, de réir mo thuisceana, roimh an Nollaig, cuireadh an scéim seo ar fionraí. Dar leis an údarás i nGaillimh, bhí deireadh leis an scéim. Tá a fhios agam go dtuigeann an tAire Stáit gur chruthaigh sé seo deacrachtaí ollmhóra don chomhairle cathrach agus do na hoifigigh a bhí i mbun conarthaí tithe a chríochnú.

I wish the Minister of State the best in her new career. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue. It is extremely important. I have tried to get clarity on it every way I can. I have tabled parliamentary questions and raised it under Questions on Policy or Legislation. I am referring to the tenant in situ scheme that was introduced on 1 April - perhaps that might give us some idea - 2023 as one of the many schemes brought in by the Government to help with the housing crisis. It was meant in particular to protect tenants who were in receipt of HAP, RAS or other payments. If the landlord was selling the house, he or she would give first choice to the council so that the tenant would be protected.

Unfortunately, the council contacted me around 13 or 14 December to say it had been informed verbally by the Department that the scheme had been suspended. That is what we were informed. Then, a press release from the Department to Raidió na Gaeltachta stated that the scheme had not been suspended. After Christmas, contact with the council was resumed and it confirmed it could not proceed with the purchase of a number of properties - 15 units that were in danger - and bring closure to those because the council had been informed by the Department that the tenant in situ scheme had been suspended, not just in Galway city, but in other local authorities as well. There were 15 units ready to close but their purchase was in danger of not being completed due to lack of clarity about the scheme. There were 12 units in one particular place, one unit in another, one in another and so on. Most significantly, 11 units had tenants in situ. If the contracts are not completed, those tenants will be homeless.

Speaking without exaggeration, the housing crisis in Galway is worse than in Dublin. We are dealing with people who have been on a housing waiting list for between 15 and 20 years with little hope. On top of that, we are repeatedly told that the homeless services have no places.

What decision has been made? Has a decision been made to suspend the tenant in situ scheme? If not, will the Minister of State clarify that? If it has been suspended, when will it be reinstated and what targets will be set? We just want clarity urgently, particularly as it relates to the 15 units I cited.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Connolly. It was lovely to hear her using our native tongue when asking her question. Unfortunately, I am not as fluent or líofa as she is to be able to respond.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Fós. Beidh tú.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question is a very serious one and it is on the issue that this Government will be judged on. I have some statistics from the Department, but on the Deputy's specific question, I am not aware of the tenant in situ scheme being suspended. I will share with the Deputy the information I have with me. If it does not have specific details relating to her question, I will bring it to the attention of the Department to try to get clarity for her.

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022 to 2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and AHBs. Under Housing for All, there is provision for 200 social housing acquisitions each year. In 2023, however, following the lifting of the temporary eviction ban and a reported uplift in sales by landlords of homes in the HAP and rental accommodation schemes, the Government introduced a temporary measure - the tenant in situ acquisitions scheme - in order to mitigate the risks of homelessness arising for tenants being supported by HAP or RAS.

A key objective of the programme is to prevent potential homelessness where other solutions cannot be found for the affected tenants. It is a matter for local authorities to assess the circumstances of each case and decide the appropriate action. All available options should be considered in order to prevent homelessness up to and including acquisition.

The Deputy's specific question was on Galway local authority and she stated that it had verbally confirmed to her that the scheme had been suspended since, I believe, 2023.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, only since before Christmas.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I beg the Deputy's pardon. I will take a note of that. These options include securing the continuation of the tenancy with the landlord, securing alternative accommodation through the HAP place finder, allocating another rental accommodation scheme property or allocating a social housing tenancy, including voids, untenanted properties and properties available with an AHB.

There were 1,500 acquisitions approved for 2023 and the programme was extended by the Government into 2024 with a further 1,500 acquisitions, 1,300 of which would be tenant in situ. Local authorities have delegated sanction to deliver the 1,500 acquisitions, subject to those acquisitions being within acquisition cost guidelines issued by the Department.

More than 1,800 homes were acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies in 2023. While final figures for 2024 have not yet been collated, it is expected that 1,500 acquisitions were completed. The programme for Government contains a commitment to continue with the tenant in situ scheme. As a result, we have to assume it is not suspended. There are annual targets and budgets assigned for each local authority. Pending a Government decision on the 2025 programme, local authorities are asked to continue to take appropriate steps and ensure that their first response is through local tenancy sustainment structures in order to support households and prevent homelessness in cases where tenants have been served with notices of termination by their landlords. The Deputy stated that there were 15 homes in Galway County Council's area that are at risk of not being completed and of not being open to tenancies because of that suspension. I have taken note of what the Deputy said in her and will get her a response.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. I have given the details. I gave them to the Taoiseach when he took the question. There are 15 units with 11 sitting tenants. I wish the Minister of State the best, but when we get an answer like this that contains a lot of padding, it really is unhelpful. If the Minister of State was standing on this side of the House, she would be saying the same thing to me.

Let us look at my very specific question. Has the tenant in situ scheme been suspended pending a decision to be made very soon? We are informed that a decision will be made shortly. Do I take it from this that the existing scheme has been suspended pending said decision? Should I believe what the city council told me in writing and during a phone call, namely that it has been informed that the tenant in situ scheme has been suspended? I would be delighted if the Minister of State would confirm that it has not been suspended and that the council can go ahead and complete the contracts relating to the 15 accommodation units and their 11 sitting tenants.

I am a little confused as a result of the reply. The Minister of State indicated that the programme for Government contains a commitment to continue the tenant in situ programme and that there are annual targets in place. The reply also states: "A decision on a tenant in situ programme for 2025 is expected to be made by Government shortly." Nowhere in the two pages of the detailed reply is it stated whether the existing scheme - not just for the city council in Galway but also for the Minister of State's local authority and other local authorities - has been suspended pending a decision on the new scheme. Mine is a simple question that requires a simple reply. If the Minister of State cannot give me that reply tonight, I would appreciate it if I could get one tomorrow in order that we will where this local authority and other local authorities stand.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Deputy raising this matter. She referred to Galway County Council specifically.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Galway City Council.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I commit to the Deputy that I will contact the Minister for housing and his Department tomorrow to get the Deputy a clear answer on whether it is suspended.