Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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322. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of Housing for All - Pathway to Eradicate Homelessness; if he has considered matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6413/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Irelandcommits to working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and provides detail on how the Government is approaching this as a priority. Housing for All includes eighteen distinct actions on homelessness. Two of these actions relate specifically to the provision of supports for families and children and in enabling their exit from homelessness. There is a commitment to enhance family support and prevention and early intervention services for children and their families through a multi-agency and coordinated response, and the dissemination of innovative practice. There is also a commitment to identify and provide enhanced tenancy sustainment supports to families experiencing long-term homelessness to help them exit from homelessness and maintain their homes. These actions are being delivered with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, with additional supports, including the provision of family supports, provided to families by Tusla.

Local authorities are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as such, applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. Lone parents are entitled to access all of the housing support delivery mechanisms on an equal basis with all other citizens.

However, the Government is determined to ensure that housing policy addresses the needs of those who experience social exclusion in our society by taking firm action. Housing for Allcontains a specific commitment to a Fresh Start principle which will be of assistance to lone parents who may wish to apply for affordable housing or a local authority home loan.

The increases in family homelessness seen in recent months are a serious concern for my Department and for the Government. We are acting to address this – in the short term and strategically over the months and years ahead. Improvements have been made on the situation we faced two years ago when homelessness was at its highest. Over 5,200 adults and their dependant children exited homelessness in 2021. All of these exits were to homes with tenancies.

My Department publishes quarterly progress reports tracking the delivery of Housing for All actions, available at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/9d2ee-housing-for-all-quarterly-progress-reports/. The most recent progress report, published in respect of Q4 2022, indicated that eighteen out of twenty actions for that quarter under the Pathway to Eradicating Homelessness, Increasing Social Housing Delivery and Supporting Social Inclusion were completed on time. This includes all of the actions that specifically relate to homelessness.

The provision of services to families and children, in particular the welfare and protection of children and the effective functioning of families who may be experiencing homelessness is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The Government will continue to prioritise responses for all families, including lone parents, experiencing homelessness and this is being reflected in both strategic policy and in specific actions.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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323. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to reports of vulture funds buying homes directly from financial institutions in some cases even when these homes are already for sale on the open market and are under offer from potential buyers; and the measures that he plans to introduce to ensure fairness for home buyers who cannot compete with these funds in the current market. [6418/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Institutional investment in the housing market that finances additional supply is welcome and needed. Without such investment, activity in the housing market would be much reduced and would increase the significant pressure already facing renters and prospective home-owners. That said, institutional investment must not displace home-buyers in traditional estates where demand and viability is not an issue, and the pathway to ownership for first-time buyers must be protected.

The Government has already taken action, through taxation and planning measures, to protect traditional family homes from bulk purchases while maintaining investment where it is needed.

A higher stamp duty rate of 10% now applies to multiple purchases of 10 or more houses within a 12-month period, on a cumulative basis, regardless of location. Apartment buildings, multiple purchases by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies, and mortgage to rent by private sector participants, are excluded from this higher stamp duty.

Ministerial planning guidelines have also issued to local authorities to help address the regulation of commercial institutional investment in certain housing developments and ensure new 'own-door' houses are not bulk purchased by institutional investors in a way that displaces individual purchasers.

The guidelines set out two planning conditions. In the first instance, to ensure an adequate choice and supply of housing, they restrict new houses and duplexes to first occupation and use by individual purchasers and those eligible for social and affordable housing, including cost rental. Secondly, they require developers of five units or more to enter an agreement with the relevant local authority to limit sales of such units to individual purchasers.

These steps complement other measures in Housing for Allwhich seek to increase the supply of affordable homes, including delivering affordable homes on local authority lands; introducing Cost Rental tenures and a First Home shared equity scheme; and, expanding the Part V planning requirements to increase the contribution required from 10% to 20%, and applying it to cost rental as well as social and affordable housing.

This multi-faceted approach to housing delivery will help significantly increase supply, key to meeting demand and addressing inflationary pressures, and improve affordability for families and individuals wishing to secure a home.