Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I have raised the question to ask for an outline of when South Dublin County Council and other local authorities can expect to receive details and guidance on the timeline and funding in relation to the budget announcements and, of course, the proposed housing strategy itself. During the first eight months of 2014, 97 families were assessed and placed into emergency homeless accommodation by South Dublin County Council. An additional 46 families were assessed as requiring emergency accommodation and have been referred to the centralised placement service for placement. As of October 2014, there were 25 South Dublin County Council families that were placed in hotel accommodation across the Dublin region. The Minister no doubt agrees hotel accommodation is not an appropriate form of accommodation for families. However, in the current situation, when one family a day is becoming homeless, the local authorities have no other options.

The same is happening throughout the country. The Minister is aware that nationwide, 90,000 people are waiting for social housing. The level of deficiency in what is a basic human necessity requires a substantial investment. Therefore, I welcome the provisions in budget 2015 that provides that headline investment of €2.2 billion in social housing over the next three years and a €10.5 million increase in funding for homeless services and accommodation.

I also welcome the budget announcement to establish off-balance sheet vehicles through public private partnerships to channel further investment into the provision of social housing units. This level of investment and the various innovative supply side measures are needed if we are to resolve the housing crisis and in that respect I commend the Government. Notwithstanding this, until such time as it announces its comprehensive social housing strategy, South Dublin County Council will continue to await details and guidance from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on the budget announcements and proposed housing strategy. The council has 260 units spread across a number of proposed developments, for which it is awaiting departmental approval. It is also in the process of finding other suitable sites and hopes to increase the number of new social housing units to be built, subject to approval, to 500 in the first quarter of 2015. Achieving this target will depend on the council obtaining the information it requires from the Department. For this reason, I ask the Minister of State for urgent clarification on the timeline and funding for the promised social housing strategy to enable local authorities such as South Dublin County Council to proceed with their local plans and ensure they have sufficient resources to house individuals and families who are sleeping rough or facing a winter in emergency accommodation.