Topical Issue Debate

Home Help Service Provision

Deputy Seamus Kirk

I raise this issue in the context of the various cutbacks and adjustments that have been made to home support in the caring sector. For elderly people, the disabled, the immobile and the disadvantaged, the home help scheme, along with the other care schemes, is invaluable. The benefit of the health budget to the economy as a whole is obvious. Supporting and maintaining people in a home setting for as long as is practical and possible is very desirable.

There has been a whole sequence of adjustments and cutbacks to the home help scheme, particularly the number of hours available to particular families. While I will not cite the individual cases that have cropped up in the Louth-Meath East constituency, I am sure they mirror the position across the country. I exhort the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to take a serious and urgent look at the scheme. It is so valuable to people living in a home setting that this bears reiteration time and again. Even at a time when resources are scarce, there is a need to prioritise, and there is certainly a need to prioritise the home help scheme. I encourage and exhort the Minister of State to urgently re-examine the situation to see whether additional resources can be made available to support this scheme.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which is one that needs to be discussed on an ongoing basis. The aim of Government policy remains to support older people in living in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. This objective is realised through various community-based supports such as mainstream home help, enhanced home care packages, meals-on-wheels and day or respite provision. Our aim is to develop and improve community-based supports where possible, taking account of wider reforms of the health service, the overall resources available and the need for the HSE to meet its statutory budgetary obligations.

The HSE has been developing various operational initiatives to improve its approach nationally to all relevant aspects of its home support services. These include various new guidelines for home care and agreeing a new procurement framework for approved agencies providing such services on a partnership basis on behalf of the executive.

While ongoing developments have been designed to standardise and maximise the use of limited resources in the face of increasing demand, they are also intended to enhance quality, safety and other key aspects of planning and delivering services, for both providers and care recipients alike. The HSE service plan for 2012 originally envisaged some 50,000 recipients of mainstream home help and approximately 11,000 recipients of enhanced home care packages at any one time. Notwithstanding the recently announced reduction in HSE home care towards the end of this year, investment in these services remains significant, with expected outturn expenditure of approximately €320 million for home help and home care packages in the course of 2012.

The recent measures adopted by the executive were designed to secure a reduction of approximately €8 million in expenditure on home help hours to the end of December, equating to some 400,000 hours, and a reduction of approximately €1.2 million on home care packages. Every effort has been made to ensure the impact of these reductions will be minimised for individual recipients so that services are provided, in the first instance, for direct patient care. Decisions in regard to the provision of home help hours continue to be based on a review of individual need and no current recipient of the service who has an assessed need will be without a provision. The latest information available from the HSE indicates that in balancing overall projected financial savings for the home help budget nationally against maintaining adequate service in individual cases, it will probably not meet the savings target envisaged. The Department continues to work closely with the executive to monitor the position between now and year end.

I emphasise again that in addressing very difficult financial realities overall, protecting community-based services for vulnerable older people continues to be a priority for the Government. However, the challenge facing the HSE in drawing up its 2013 service plan should not be underestimated. I am pleased, therefore, to reiterate our commitment to restore to 2012 levels of service the core community services of home help, home care packages and personal assistant hours.

Deputy Seamus Kirk

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I am somewhat disappointed, however, that the underlying message seems to be that the position is as it is and the prospect of enhanced provision for those who are down to three quarters of an hour of care under the home help scheme are poor. I ask the Minister of State again to examine those cases where the curtailment of hours is such that it is unrealistic to expect that the type of care and support required by individuals and families can be met within the assigned allocation.

I have no reason to question or doubt the provision contained in the Estimate for this scheme. Moreover, I accept the financial constraints with which the Minister of State is dealing. However, this is an absolutely invaluable scheme. If we get to a position where a person of 82 or 83 years of age can be maintained in a home setting for another 12 months rather than being taken into institutional care, there are benefits not only for the individual but also for the State. The arithmetic dictates that providing more resources in this area is in line with best public policy. I urge the Minister of State to endeavour to secure greater resources for the scheme.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch

I do not doubt for one minute the Deputy's sincerity on this issue. I am not certain, however, that he heard the last part of my reply, which indicates that we have indeed revisited the matter. I stated:

In other words, we have done exactly what the Deputy is asking.

Deputy Seamus Kirk

The challenge here is the inadequacy of the 2012 provision.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch

We are all agreed that the difficulties which arose midway through 2012 caused undue hardship. However, that budget has been restored.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Deputy Jonathan O'Brien

The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is well aware of the challenges facing the parents of children with special needs in Cork and their concerns in regard to the process of reconfiguration of service delivery that is now under way. I attended the meeting at which she outlined in great detail what is proposed in this regard and attempted to allay some of the fears that were raised from the floor. The difficulty, however, is that the communication breakdown between the HSE and parents' groups remains a problem. Several of the parents who attended the public meeting and whose children are attending special needs schools had received virtually no information on the proposed reconfiguration before the Minister of State provided some of the details. From speaking to parents in recent days, it seems this communication deficit has not yet been addressed. There are parents who are still not aware of the plans that are being implemented. This is something that needs to be taken on board by the Department.

I am sure the Minister of State is aware of the meeting that took place last Monday in the HSE offices in Cork at which parents of children with special needs had an opportunity to voice their concerns about the changes that are taking place. I assume she received the minutes of the meeting, as did I, which clearly point to the concerns that remain outstanding and which must be addressed as soon as possible. One of the main concerns relates to the issue of parent representation on the implementation groups. The answer attendees received to queries as to whether there might be increased representation was that the proposed complement of four is larger than that in other geographical areas. In other words, the message was that four parent representatives is more than enough. That position must be clarified. At the same time, there is a genuine concern among parents that the requirements of the parent representative role go above and beyond what they should be asked to do. The Minister of State will recall from the public meeting she attended that many people are concerned that anybody who accepts the role of parent representative on the implementation group will be held responsible for all of the decisions made. I accept that the Minister of State sought to clarify this matter at the meeting, but that fear persists.

The other main concern among parents is how the changes can be implemented on a cost neutral basis. In fact, there is a genuine view among parents that it is simply not possible. Nobody has yet been able to provide them with details or a plan for how to improve the services and implement the proposed reconfiguration on a cost neutral basis without impacting on front-line services. If the Minister of State could outline how that is proposed to be achieved, it might ease parents' fears. There was a debate at the public meeting around the need for a mapping of services. An argument is being put forward that such mapping should be in place before the implementation groups are established. To do it the other way around would seem to be putting the cart before the horse. Will the Minister of State comment on that?

There is a danger that parents will be pitted against parents. The minutes of last Monday's meeting show there are already differences of opinion, with parents of children attending mainstream schools or units attached to mainstream schools indicating a wish to proceed with nominating representatives to the implementation group as quickly as possible.

On the other hand there are parents of children attending special schools who are very wary about nominating representatives and proceeding with the implementation group. We are already seeing a kind of breakdown within the implementation groups, with parents not being able to agree on the best way forward.

The other concern that came out of the meeting, which I hope will be addressed, was that parents were being asked to partake in the groups but they did not have all the documentation and did not know what the overall plan was. No policy documents were provided to them for studying before they were asked to join the implementation groups.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch

Every parent wants the very best for their child. If one has a child with particular needs, or needs that are different from those of other children, there is always a fear the needs of the child will not be met in the future. That is a normal feeling, something one must accept and realise happens.

On the implementation groups and whether the mapping should be in place, I reiterate what I said at that meeting, namely, both can run in tandem. There is no need to hold one up while waiting on the other. Mapping is vitally important, as I have always maintained.

I refer to the Progressing Disability document, which is part of a suite of measures we are taking in the area of disability. It is a very good document that outlines delivery of a service in the community. I understand that people in specialist schools have a difficulty with that taking place. I realise they are happy with the service they have and do not want to lose it so this reaction is very understandable. The difficulties I heard about on that day were in terms of where children must go in order to receive the service, and the type of environment they will face. It should be possible to sort out all these things - they are not impossible tasks but entirely solvable issues.

However, there are swathes of children in the community going to mainstream schools who do not have access to any services. I am not one who says we should run madly ahead with the project or that it is cost-neutral. Nothing is cost-neutral. Even moving something to a new location is not so because one has to look at the location and see what is needed. We must try to ensure that every child has access to a service. The mapping should tell us where the gaps are, which is key to the whole issue. If we find there are gaps in the area of speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology and all those things, it will then be my job, or that of whoever stands in this position next time around, to ensure the resources are put in place to fill those gaps. That is what we did in mental health and what we are about to do in the area of older people and old age psychiatry. It is what we need to do.

Above all else, we must ensure every child has access to a service. This is not an overnight project; it will take at least three years. I heard the parents talking about their fears that day and these are genuine fears. Nobody wants other than the very best for their children. I would say to those people they need to be part of the process, if they want to have any influence. That is not to say everything will be agreed. This will not happen, it never does. However, mapping and finding the gaps in the service is vitally important. That is what we did in the area of mental health and we need to do it here too. We cannot continue to allow the resource that is in place to go unused. It is not enough, but the resource I mean is the allied professionals I just named. I do not say this in a negative or disingenuous way. We cannot allow all those people to remain within institutions and only delivering service in those institutions. We must have a more holistic approach and must ensure that children who have a difficulty about going into particular areas are accommodated. I very clearly heard the woman the Deputy mentioned.

This is a solvable problem, however, and we need to look at solutions. This is about delivering a better service to more children, and also to those many young adults who are still receiving the service. That would be the aim but it is not an overnight project and will take time. I urge people to become engaged with the process.

Deputy Jonathan O'Brien

I do not, for one moment, doubt the Minister of State's sincerity about trying to improve the service. I genuinely mean that, because I know her track record in this area. It is very welcome that she has acknowledged today in the Chamber that this project cannot be done on a cost-neutral basis. That is a big fear people have, as the Minister of State will know from the meeting.

I completely agree we must map out the services we need in order to identify the gaps that must be filled. The Minister of State rightly stated there cannot be a situation where people who need services do not receive them. Everybody is entitled to them and should receive them. The mapping process will identify the individuals in question and resources will have to be put in place.

The big fear, however, was about doing the work on a cost-neutral basis. If gaps are being identified which will then have to be plugged with resources, and this is being attempted on a cost-neutral basis, it is easy to understand the fear on the part of parents whose children are attending specialist schools. Their big fear is that in moving to the geographical model services will be taken from some individuals in order to plug the gaps in other areas. The Minister of State's acknowledgment today that perhaps this cannot be done on a cost-neutral basis is a positive step and I am sure if parents heard it they would feel there is an understanding of their fears. If we can achieve this, which is not easy in the circumstances we face with the public finances, perhaps we can have a situation where we do not take from one area that is working well in order to try to compensate another area where there are gaps.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch

I will be brief. I approach everything on the basis that people come to the table with the very best intentions. I have always done that and that is how I will continue. Equally, when I am dealing with any situation I ask myself what I would do in that circumstance. I know if I had a child who was receiving a very good service and there was a possibility that service might move to a different location, I would be very nervous about all of that. I understand this, I really do. What we need to look at is how to improve the service. It is not about taking from Peter to pay Paul, which never works: neither Peter nor Paul is happy. We really need to start improving the service.

We have used a model which I am reluctant to mention because I know it could be misinterpreted and I do not mean it in that way. The model we used in the area of mental health, whereby we mapped what was necessary for delivering the service in the community, is a good one and we must consider it. The needs will be different in the area of disability and we understand that. Nevertheless that type of mapping process works. It looks at where gaps exist and what is necessary to ensure they are filled, not by robbing Peter to pay Paul but by taking a look at the kind of enhanced budget we need. This may be a separate budget. In mental health, we used developmental money rather than a centralised budget. That is the direction we need to take and we must look at it.

That answer will not satisfy the parents we met in Ballincollig - at this time. However, if we have a view of where we want to get to and if there is an incremental plan of how to get there, we could go on this journey together.

Tobacco Control Measures

Deputy Ann Phelan

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important matter. According to ASH Ireland, the prevalence of smoking in this country stands somewhere between 26% and 29%. While the position in this regard is better than it was a generation ago, when nearly half of the population smoked, the figure remains high, particularly in comparison to that in places such as California where only 11% of the population smoke, or Norway where the figure is 17%. Smoking must be one of the greatest causes of health problems, with most smokers admitting that they wish they had never begun in the first instance. Smoking is an extremely difficult addiction to overcome and a very expensive habit.

We have made great strides in reducing the level of smoking, having banned it in so many public places. It is well known, however, that the cost of nicotine replacement therapies such as gum, patches and the newer artificial cigarettes is a factor in ensuring some people continue to smoke. They are very expensive, particularly in comparison to the prices paid by our friends north of the Border and throughout the United Kingdom. A major factor in the difference in price is that the British Government has introduced a special VAT of just 5% for these therapies. In Ireland, however, we charge a rate of 23%. This is what gives rise to the significant price differential between Ireland and the United Kingdom. If we could follow the example of the United Kingdom and introduce a similar rate here, the knock-on effects for smokers and the Exchequer would be tremendous. Over 5,500 people die each year as a result of smoking-related illnesses. It is estimated that we spend close to €1.5 billion in treating these illnesses. While a reduction in VAT might result in a small shortfall for Revenue, we should consider the savings to be made in the long term if the beleaguered Department of Health were obliged to deal with fewer smoking-related illnesses. We must do everything possible to reduce the startling statistics for smoking. We can only bring about such a reduction if we help people to give up smoking, while also deterring young people from taking up the habit. Having nicotine replacement therapies available at a reasonable price would definitely assist those trying to beat the addiction.

Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Deputy John Perry)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, to which I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on the question of the VAT treatment of nicotine replacement patches posed by the Deputy.

I wish to explain that, when considering the VAT system and the VAT treatment of any product or service, the VAT rating of goods and services is governed by the requirements of the EU VAT directive with which Irish VAT law must comply. In this regard, it may be useful to remind the House of the structure of Ireland's VAT regime. As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland operates a number of VAT rates. The standard VAT rate of 23% applies to the majority of goods and services, including cars, petrol, diesel, alcohol, tobacco, electrical equipment, CDs and DVDs. There is also a reduced rate of 13.5% which applies mainly to fuel used for heat or light, construction, housing, labour intensive services and general repairs and maintenance. A second reduced rate of 9%, introduced as part of the jobs initiative, applies mainly to tourism-related services, including hotel and holiday accommodation, restaurant services and some entertainment services. The zero rate of VAT generally applies to most food, children's clothes and shoes and oral medicines.

As the Deputy correctly pointed out, nicotine replacement patches are subject to VAT at the standard rate of 23%. Unlike other nicotine products such as inhalers, tablets and chewing gum which are categorised as oral medicines and which thereby qualify for the zero-rate of VAT, nicotine replacement patches are not considered to be oral medicines and are, therefore, correctly subject to the standard rate of VAT of 23%. However, I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that member states have the option, under Annex lll of the EU VAT directive, of applying a reduced rate of VAT to pharmaceutical products of a kind normally used for health care, for the prevention of illnesses and medical treatment purposes. In this regard, since nicotine replacement patches could be considered to meet such criteria, Ireland would have the option of applying a reduced rate to such products. However, constraints imposed by the VAT directive on the number of reduced VAT rates which a member state may operate at any one time would not allow for the possibility of a special reduced VAT rate of 5% to match, as suggested by the Deputy, that which applies in the United Kingdom. Article 98 of the directive provides that member states may apply either one or two reduced rates to the goods and services listed in Annex lll. The introduction of a third reduced VAT rate would, therefore, not be possible under EU VAT rules. Accordingly, any reduction in the VAT rate on nicotine replacement patches would have to be considered in the context of the existing 9% and 13.5% reduced rates.

A proposal to reduce the VAT rate applying to any good or service raises a number of issues. The Deputy will not be surprised if I emphasise the need to maintain VAT revenues and also the need to ensure losses to the Exchequer in these difficult economic times are avoided. Notwithstanding the potential health benefits which may accrue from the use of nicotine replacement patches, losses in one area must be balanced by savings or increased taxes in others. The issue of the degree to which the consumer might benefit from a reduction in VAT on nicotine replacement patches also arises. In this regard, there is, unfortunately, no guarantee that moving standard-rated products to a reduced rate of VAT would necessarily be reflected in full in the retail prices charged to consumers. Any dilution of the potential benefit to the consumer would obviously be a major concern and effectively negate the promotion of the use of nicotine patch technology.

In the context of the imbalance of price between Ireland and the United Kingdom to which the Deputy refers, cross-Border shopping studies indicate that fluctuations in the exchange rate between sterling and the euro represent the most significant influence on price. In this respect, the current exchange rate between sterling and the euro should provide less incentive for people to shop outside the State. The report of the implications of cross-Border shopping which was undertaken on behalf of the Minister for Finance by the Revenue Commissioners and the Central Statistics Office notes that the main causes of price differentials between goods in Northern Ireland and the Republic are operating costs, profit margin or mark-up, taxes and the exchange rate between sterling and the euro. While variations in VAT rates widened some price differentials, their impact remained small compared to the significance of the change in the exchange rate.

I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I hope I have clarified the position on the VAT treatment of nicotine replacement patches and the situation regarding the possibilities available under the EU VAT directive.

Deputy Ann Phelan

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and highlighting the various rules which apply. I remain of the view that this is an area in which we should do a great deal more work, particularly as the benefits for Ireland and other member states would be very significant. It is stated one's health is one's wealth. If we can help people to stop smoking, we will have done a great deed. Nicotine replacement therapies are sold from behind the counter in Ireland, whereas in the United Kingdom and most other countries they are sold off the shelf. They are also sold exclusively by chemist shops in this country, but elsewhere one can purchase them from a wide variety of outlets, which makes matters much easier for those who want to quit. I am determined to pursue this significant issue which has major implications for people's health and the Exchequer. We must do everything in our power to help people stop smoking, particularly as the habit is so closely associated with the lower socioeconomic classes. In the case of a person in receipt of a benefit payment of €188 per week and who smokes 20 cigarettes a day - most people smoke more at weekends - one can calculate that he or she spends €60 to €70 a week on tobacco, which is a significant amount of money. If we put in place a task force to assist people on benefits to quit the habit, this would go a long way towards helping such individuals rebalance their budgets rather than watching their money go up in smoke.

Deputy John Perry

I appreciate fully the point made by Deputy Phelan. She correctly described the impact on public health of the sale of tobacco. I suggest the promotion of nicotine patches is an issue she could discuss with the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly. It may be possible to have nicotine patches on open display to make them more available to the consumer. The cost of 20 cigarettes is the best part of €70 a week. This is a major expenditure for people on low incomes. More than 5,500 people die in this country every year from smoking related diseases. The consumption of cigarettes is detrimental to people's health.

I refer to the issue of the illegal importation of tobacco products. Cigarettes are being sold door to door. This is illicit tobacco and the quality is dubious. Any tobacco is bad but this illicit tobacco is substandard and the quality is even worse.

The Minister for Finance referred to the possibility of a VAT rate of 9% or 13.5% on nicotine replacement patches. I suggest the Deputy could pursue this issue with him. I am certain a self-financing mechanism would benefit the State and the health of the population. I agree with the Deputy that these products should be more available.

Deputy Ann Phelan

I thank the Minister of State for his very positive response to this issue. I take the point about the 9% VAT rate and the 13.5% VAT rate. Anything that could be done to lower the rate to encourage people to quit the smoking habit would be welcome. I will pursue the issue with the Minister for Health.

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

The social housing programme has collapsed in most constituencies, including mine. Dublin City Council figures show that last year, 16,600 families and individuals were on its housing waiting list, with 7,538 on the transfer list. A total of 32% of applicants were waiting more than five years, with 2,544 waiting more than seven years. I describe these figures as deeply damaging to the credibility of Dublin City Council and the Government. In addition, Fingal County Council confirmed to me that 9,082 families and individuals were waiting for housing on its council housing list.

When Members of this House are able to retire to our comfortable homes or lodgings after long days in the Dáil, 80 to 90 people will be sleeping on the streets of this city. They will sleep outside on this very night as they have done over recent bitter November nights. It is unacceptable and disgraceful.

Like other Members I receive many phone calls and e-mails from constituents. I meet many of them at my weekly information clinics who are in dire straits with regard to housing. They describe very difficult home circumstances. They may be on a housing waiting list for anything from five to 13 years. A typical example is a young woman with three children who has been living for the past five or six years in very cramped conditions with her adult siblings and her parents in a modest two-bedroom house.

A few weeks ago I asked the Taoiseach whether a social housing investment programme would be implemented in 2012. I have studied budget 2013 as best I can but I have not found any evidence of any serious intent on the part of this Government to address this issue. I estimate that perhaps only a few dozen individuals and households were rehoused in the past year in my constituency out of the 4,000 on the Dublin North-Central housing list.

The Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is committed to tackling the issue but it is impossible for any progress to be made unless proper funding is allocated to kick-start the social housing programme. This would also have a beneficial effect on the construction industry.

I have spoken about the appalling treatment of citizens who have been left on the waiting list, in some cases for up to 15 years. I have long urged Dublin City Council to move away from its historic points-based, priority-based housing list system to a system based on time on the list, as used in Fingal County Council. I am a former Dublin City Council councillor. The council last week decided to move to the system of time on the list, which is a fair and transparent system. It is a case of first come, first served. It now awaits the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to sign the regulation. When will he sign that regulation?

Under the Fianna Fáil regime led by Ahern and Cowen, the failure of local authorities to provide social housing meant a massive growth in the private rental sector. In the past five years since 2007, almost €3 billion has been expended on rent supplement allowances. This money has gone into the pockets of private landlords. Ordinary constituents wonder why that money was not used to fund a housing programme.

When will the promised housing Bill come before the House? I refer in particular to provisions in respect of the administration of voluntary housing bodies. My constituency has organisations such as NABCO, Iveagh Trust, Respond and Clúid. There is no legislation governing estate management and tenancy and it is urgently needed.

The Minister, Deputy Hogan, gave two deadlines - the first Sunday in September and then a further ten days - to the developers, builders, auctioneers, insurance companies in respect of the pyrite disaster. He keeps issuing deadlines but when will he take action? When will he decide to levy the industry which did those terrible things to households? People are upset that they are expected to pay a housing tax - which the House will discuss tomorrow - on houses which are worthless because they need to be remediated. I ask the Minister of State to bring these points to the attention of the Minister.

On a final point, I ask the Minister of State to ask if the Minister will join us next Monday at 7.30 p.m. at Priory Hall for a candlelight vigil. Those families - a total of 250 people - are facing a second Christmas out of their homes at Priory Hall. I am sure they would be delighted to see him at the vigil next Monday night at Priory Hall.

Deputy John Perry

I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this issue. I may not have the comprehensive reply he wants but I will bring his concerns to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Hogan. The current economic crisis is severely testing the capacity of the State to meet social housing need. Financial considerations mean local authorities are effectively no longer engaged in large-scale housing stock construction programmes at the very time when demand for housing services is at its greatest. The Government's housing policy statement, published in June 2011, sets out a new approach for housing provision that recognises these key unfortunate realities. It is specifically predicated on a tenure-neutral approach that focuses on enabling households to access the housing solution that best suited to their needs at a point in time. While home ownership is still a very valid aspiration for a majority of households, it is no longer the acme of all tenure options.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with the housing authorities and with not-for-profit approved housing bodies, is engaging in a range of innovative and flexible housing solutions to meet housing need in general, and homelessness in particular. I acknowledge the Deputy's campaigning work on behalf of the homeless I sympathise with the fact that up to 80 people are sleeping on the streets of Dublin tonight. I cannot even imagine what it must be like on such a cold evening. I appreciate the Deputy's point about homelessness.

The Department's approach to homelessness is to focus on providing people with a home where they can live as full and valued members of society.

That is why Government policy in this area is moving to a housing-led approach rather than the traditional model that places hostel or shelter-type accommodation at the centre of accommodation provision. This change will take time to implement, but the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is committed to seeing it through. People deserve the dignity of a home. We must obviously bear in mind the financial constraints.

Early in the new year, the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, will be issuing a policy statement on homelessness. This will indicate what we expect from housing authorities and other stakeholders in accelerating progress towards realising the ambition of eliminating involuntary long-term homelessness. The Minister of State has sought to put in place real solutions for people who find themselves without a home. Investment of nearly €50 million has been provided by central and local government in the provision of homelessness services in 2012.

With regard to wider demand for social housing, the Government's focus is on optimising the delivery of social housing for the resources invested. To achieve this, it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions to address housing needs.

The social housing capital budget has had to be reduced from €1.535 billion in 2008 to just over €333.7 million this year - this is a considerable reduction - and the financial parameters within which we will be operating for the coming years rule out a return to large capital-funded construction programmes. Nevertheless, the Minister of State is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing support needs across the country through a variety of mechanisms, including through increased provision of social housing. Delivery is being significantly facilitated through more flexible funding models such as the rental accommodation scheme and leasing, but the Minister of State is also developing other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. In spite of these challenging circumstances, a tentative projection of 4,000 housing units is anticipated for 2012.

The Minister of State will continue to target available resources to ensure the critical housing needs of the most vulnerable sectors of our society are addressed. Precise data are critical in this regard, which is why the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will in 2013 carry out a full housing-needs assessment, the first such assessment to be carried out under the 2009 housing Act. This will give a comprehensive picture of real need and help to direct scarce resources to best effect.

I will pass on Deputy Broughan's concerns on Priory Hall to the Minister, Deputy Hogan.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

I warmly welcome that because the householders of Priory Hall are anxiously awaiting the recommendation of Mr. Justice Finnegan. Those with pyrite damaged homes are waiting to know whether the Government will put in place a facility regarding the new house tax, which is having an impact on them, and whether the deadline has been reached.

The current social housing capital budget is €333.7 million, a very disappointing sum. The Government is supposed to be getting €400 million plus for the 4G communications auction. Could at least part of this not be hypothecated to address the awful housing problem? Might this be considered? I understand we are not going to make the promissory note payment at the end of March. We slotted into the Estimates for the medium term approximately €5 billion between interest and capital repayments. Are there not more areas in the kitty that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government should be examining to kick-start the sector and get all the unemployed construction workers back onto the sites?

It is shocking that 80 to 90 people might be sleeping out tonight. There was a recent tragic death involving a homeless person in Bray. This urgent issue needs to be addressed in the coming days. When will the housing Bill be introduced?

With regard to the rent-to-buy and rental accommodation schemes, the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, mentioned various initiatives. Do the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, intend to do something more dramatic regarding plans for long-term rental?

Has the Minister of State given any consideration to allowing local authorities themselves to engage in housing construction like the voluntary bodies by establishing their own construction and housing-management companies? It would involve emulating what Clúid, NABCO and other bodies have done. Thus, local authorities, such as Sligo county and city councils, could take the initiative rather than wait for individuals in the community to do so.

Deputy John Perry

The Minister, Deputy Hogan, is very far-reaching in his thinking. The biggest shake-up in local government in 100 years has taken place under his watch. This involves a considerable change of mindset. Bearing in mind the limited budget and very scarce resources, I am quite certain value for money will be achieved in respect of the buy-to-let and rental accommodation schemes.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

We need more money.

Deputy John Perry

Given the amount of rental accommodation available throughout the country, not only in Dublin, I have no doubt the Minister and Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, will do their very best to obtain the best value for money despite the very limited resources made available through the voted Estimate.

It is obviously a matter for the Minister for Finance to deal with the money allocated for the 4G communications auction. I will raise the timeline for the legislation with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I note what the Deputy said and the Minister will revert to him.

With regard to homelessness and people sleeping out, we are very fortunate that there are some fantastic services providing short-term solutions. Members of the voluntary sector are bringing people into shelters in the city every night. I hope sincerely that the homeless will be facilitated in every way possible. Members of the Garda Síochána are identifying people. It is very important that, in the short term, the homeless must be facilitated, especially in this very difficult climate. This is only a short-term solution, not a long-term one.

Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 13 Dec 2012