I assure the Deputy that the Government is taking a comprehensive approach to tackling homelessness, focusing on increasing housing supply, strengthening protection for renters and, crucially, preventing homelessness in the first instance. Increased supply is key to addressing homelessness, meeting need and addressing the challenges in the housing markets. We have therefore been building more than ever in recent times. A record level of investment is being provided for the delivery of housing in 2026, with €5.2 bil…

We are taking a number of very significant measures, including significantly increasing the number of social houses delivered. Last year, new builds were at the highest number delivered in the history of the State. I expect it will be higher again this year. They are crucial to bringing people into social housing and giving them a secure, safe home for the rest of their lives. That is reflected in the significant decrease in the number of people in HAP properties moving from rental properties into permanent State s…

I have already outlined a number of new policies. The key is to prevent people going into homelessness in the first place so we can keep them in the home they have, which is the best home they can be kept in. We are doing everything we can to prevent homelessness in the first place. The reality is we have a supply challenge in this country. The comprehensive support is driving supply and we are seeing that increase already, with a 20% increase in supply last year. We will see an increase again this year. There are …

It did.

The Deputy wanted to cut it down to 800.

It is in the Deputy's party's own plan. I know it hurts when these things are called out to Deputy Ó Broin but it is actually true.

Sinn Féin's proposal is to slash tenant in situ down to 800 homes. The nature of homelessness is changing as well so we have to evolve to meet the challenge and ensure people who are becoming homeless exit it as quickly as possible, wherever that homelessness may be coming from.

I will be absolutely clear; I do not want find any person in homelessness and one is one too many. In particular, it is not acceptable that young children and young people are ending up in emergency accommodation. We want them to exit as quickly as possible when it does happen. We are determined that this situation is not normalised. I do not want it to be considered acceptable by any member of this State or any State agency and we do not. We are challenging this situation. We have record preventions in terms of pr…

The Deputy knows full well he is giving people false hope. If you implement a ban on evictions, you kill supply straight away. The population is increasing. Where will you house everybody else who needs somewhere to live? We have now brought in the strongest tenancy protection measures in the history of this State. The Deputy left out that the notices to quit for people to leave their homes have fallen dramatically every month since April in the last period of time. We want to see them fall even further. We also ha…

I am deeply concerned about those young children who find themselves in that situation. That is why we provided record numbers of social housing last year and we will increase that delivery again this year. The State is putting in an extraordinary amount of funding directly to try to address all of the housing crisis so that we do not have that situation arising. What we are doing is making difficult decisions to ensure that we provide the supply, not only for people who are currently in accommodation but for those…

I thank Deputy Ó Broin for his question in relation to this legislation for a redress scheme. The safety of people, when it comes to both the quality and standard of the homes they are living in, whether rented or bought, has to be a top priority for all of us. I want to be crystal clear on that. As a Government, we previously approved the development of supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2…

It is very much my intention to have this legislation published within the next ten weeks and to move on and get it passed as quickly as possible. As the Deputy will know, we have a number of pathfinder projects that are redressing 600 residential units with the interim remediation scheme. While I want this done as quickly as possible, what is also critical for me is that it is simple and straightforward for residents to be able to use this scheme and that we do not have an overly complex scheme. That is what I hav…

I certainly hear the Deputy and I have real concern for the people in these properties. I have met their representatives on a number of occasions and we are working closely with them. As I say, I want this done as quickly as possible. I had hoped and aimed to have it more quickly than this but I do not want a scheme, as I said, that is overly complex. I want one that is workable and deliverable. We will get this right.

I thank the Deputy for raising the very important issue of homelessness, which has to be the most important issue any of us deal with. Addressing family homelessness is a key priority for Government. Our housing plan commits to the development of a child and family homelessness action plan. This has brought together key stakeholders to drive the continued focus on preventing children and families entering emergency accommodation and providing enhanced supports for children experiencing homelessness, as well as meas…

It is important we not just have a plan - in this case the child and family homelessness action plan - but that it is funded and we can ensure it is delivered quickly so that we prevent as many children as possible from becoming homeless or exit them as quickly as possible. We are providing a record number of exits from homelessness but it is challenging because of the number we have coming into homelessness in the first place. All of this is driven by the lack and shortage of housing in this country. Everything I …

We will be publishing that plan very soon. We want to ensure it is funded and can be delivered, that it is not simply a plan to sit on the shelf because we are acutely aware of the increase in homelessness but, in particular, the number of children who are going into homelessness. Where this happens, we want to exit them as quickly as possible into permanent, safe and secure homes. That is why last year we delivered record numbers of social housing and I have no doubt we will deliver even more this year. I am consc…

The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022, as amended by the Act of 2025, underpins the grant scheme which provides grant funding to people whose homes have been affected by defective concrete blocks. As the Deputy is aware, the Act also provides for the making of a defective concrete blocks social homes scheme. The draft defective concrete blocks social homes scheme 2026 is a scheme for the purpose of enabling a designated local authority or an approved housing body with…

We are satisfied the scheme that has gone through this House and through the Seanad, which has been approved by Government, is an effective scheme that will work. The Deputy obviously has a lot of technical questions and I am very happy to get him a note on it from the Department of housing, which will hopefully address some of his concerns or at least clarify a number of his questions which he can then affirm or disagree with, if necessary.

We are satisfied that these proposals are fair and balanced. While I would like to have seen them done before now, at least now we have a proposal that can start to affect the necessary supports and remediation in social housing schemes. As I say, I will take note of the Deputy's questions and get him a response.

I thank Deputy Toole for her important question about housing supports for persons with additional needs and disabilities. The housing assistance payment scheme is a social housing support, so an assessment of housing needs must be completed in order to qualify for HAP. Any household with an identified housing need is eligible for HAP. For housing assistance to be provided, the housing authority must be satisfied that the tenancy is or would be a tenancy in good faith. Where there is a family relationship between t…