John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to thank Senator McCarthy for raising this important issue. If anyone understands this issue it is him, given his work with Tiglin and dealing first-hand with people who find themselves in difficult circumstances. I commend him on his work in that regard.

Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority, I can assure Senators of that. Increasing the availability of emergency accommodation and permanent accommodation is a huge priority. The December 2024 homeless report shows there were 14,864 people in emergency accommodation. That figure is far too high and I am always acutely conscious that there is a person and family behind each figure. As a Government, we are committed to preventing as many people as possible entering emergency accommodation as possible and speeding up the exit for those who do avail of services.

In 2024 there was a 30% increase in the numbers of adults supported to exit, and prevented from entering, homeless accommodation. In fact, local authorities achieved nearly 9,000 preventions and exits using measures such as the increased social housing delivery to increase allocations to homeless households and the tenant in situ scheme to prevent new entries to homelessness. Of course, we need to do more as a Government.

Housing for All is our housing plan which contains a suite of actions that have increased, and continue to increase, the provision of housing through accelerating supply, and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens. Increasing supply of all types of housing, be it social, affordable or private housing, remains the ultimate solution to addressing the homelessness challenge in the longer term.

Looking after the most vulnerable in our society remains a top priority for this Government. We will continue to support vulnerable households while we increase the levels of new housing stock required.

The Department is working closely with local authorities and their NGO service delivery partners to support households to emergency accommodation to tenancies in local authorities, approved housing bodies, or in the private rental market supported by the housing assistance payment.

The Government is committed to a housing-led approach as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. The programme for Government has pledged the largest social housing programme in the history of the State, building on average 12,000 new social homes per annum. The programme for Government 2025 includes distinct actions targeted at reducing and preventing homelessness. These include measures to engage and support rough sleepers with the continued expansion of the Housing First programme, a cross-departmental approach to homelessness prevention, the leasing of one-bedroom units to address the immediate needs of single households, a focus on social housing allocations to families who are in long-term homeless accommodation, the continuation of the social housing tenant in situ programme to prevent homelessness and the reform the Housing Act 1988.

The programme for Government 2025 also commits to fully implementing the national youth homelessness strategy. The strategy, which is in its final year, sets out 27 distinct actions to help young adults who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness. Progress on implementing the actions within the strategy continues to be made, most notably with the establishment of a housing-led intervention Supported Housing for Youth, which is currently being piloted in the Dublin area.The programme for Government commits to ensure a holistic, cross-departmental approach to homelessness prevention. I assure the Senator that the Minister, Deputy Browne, and I will continue to work with all stakeholders in this area to ensure we provide support for those who need it in the interim while also ramping up housing supply in the longer term.