Taoiseach outlines range of measures to alleviate social housing shortage

Increasing the rate of Rent Supplement would only exacerbate the pressure on the existing housing stock, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil. Replying to questions from the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin on the emergency housing crisis, he said where a landlord pressurises a tenant to leave, the facility exists between the Department of Social Protection and the tenant and landlord to deal with that kind of issue. “A total of 5,800 families were assisted under that scheme in 2015,” he said. “A total of 6,000 families were helped by the Housing Assistance Payment, HAP, programme in 2015. These are people who are under pressure but who are working. The assistance given to them allowed them to remain in their homes.”

The Taoiseach said a total of 300 sites throughout the country are being worked on and are in various stages of construction. More than €3 billion has been provided by the Government for social housing between now and 2021. “Targets and moneys have been given to every council which have been told to get on with it,” he said. “The Deputy is aware of the changes in the regulations issued by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister of State at the same Department. A total of 2,000 people were assisted last year, mostly in Dublin, in respect of voided buildings that have been brought back into proper condition for people to live in. They were more immediate requirements to deal with the existing stock of apartments or houses that needed to be reconstructed. This is a significant number in itself.”

The next stage, he said, is for the local authorities who have been given the money, instructions and targets to get on with dealing with the supply of housing. This is all social housing. “The private sector, NAMA and others will provide housing that will come on the market for those in the private housing sector,” he said. “Obviously, the demand is increasing there as well because of the extent of the employment that has been created and that will be created.”