Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 April 2017
27. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in view of the continuing increase in homelessness, the short term and immediate actions he will take to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17108/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn July last year I published the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provides a multi-stranded, action oriented approach to achieving the Government’s key housing objectives, including addressing homelessness in a comprehensive manner. The Action Plan is available through the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/.
The long-term solution to the current homelessness issue is to increase the supply of homes; accordingly, Rebuilding Ireland is designed to accelerate all types of housing supply – social, private and rental. During the lifetime of the Plan some 47,000 new social houses will be provided, supported by Exchequer investment of over €5 billion, and housing output generally will be progressively increased towards the target of producing 25,000 houses per year through all channels.
Increases in Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payment levels, implemented from 1 July 2016, are playing an important role in terms of supporting families to remain in rented accommodation. It is intended that long-term housing needs of households currently homeless will be met through housing supports such as the enhanced Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, and general social housing allocations. Significant outputs are being achieved in this regard. Housing authorities achieved over 3,000 sustainable exits from homeless accommodation into independent tenancies during 2016, a record level of exits in a calendar year.
Where households do find themselves in homeless situations, a range of enhanced supports are being implemented under Rebuilding Ireland, through a variety of Government agencies including the HSE and Tusla, while at the same time housing authorities are also pursuing the delivery of enhanced emergency accommodation facilities. New supported temporary accommodation initiatives are currently being delivered to provide family accommodation with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation, while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured.
The implementation of Rebuilding Ireland is being advanced across a number of Departments and agencies, under the oversight of the Cabinet Committee on Housing, chaired by An Taoiseach. The second quarterly progress report, which is in respect of 2016 Quarter 4 actions, can be accessed through the following link:-
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-irelands-second-quarterly-progress-report/.
Further reports on progress will continue to be published on a quarterly basis.
