Vol. 939 Tuesday, No. 3 21 February 2017. DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Leaders’ Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1122 21/02/2017J00800Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1133 21/02/2017P00700Topical Issue Matters � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1143 21/02/2017P00900Ceisteanna - Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1144 21/02/2017P01000Gaeltacht Policy � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1144 21/02/2017R02550Cabinet Committee Meetings � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1150 21/02/2017T00100Taoiseach’s Meetings and Engagements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1154 21/02/2017U00400Priority Questions� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1158 21/02/2017U00925Poverty Data � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1158 21/02/2017W00300School Meals Programme � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1162 21/02/2017W01300Labour Activation Projects � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1163 21/02/2017X00600Legislative Programme � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1165 21/02/2017Y00925Other Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1168 21/02/2017Y00975Departmental Staff Training � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1168 21/02/2017Z00100Poverty Data � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1170 21/02/2017Z02800Jobseeker’s Allowance� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1172 21/02/2017AA01000State Pensions Payments � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1175 21/02/2017BB00750State Pensions Reform� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1177 21/02/2017CC00050Rural Social Scheme � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1179 21/02/2017CC00950JobPath Implementation � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1180 21/02/2017DD00700Homemakers Scheme � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1183 21/02/2017EE00200Topical Issue Debate � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1184 21/02/2017EE00250National Parks � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1184 21/02/2017FF00250Passport Services � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1188 21/02/2017GG00350Veterinary Inspection Service � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1191 21/02/2017JJ00200Greyhound Industry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1194 21/02/2017KK00600National Famine Commemoration Day Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1198 21/02/2017SS00300National Famine Commemoration Day Bill 2017: Referral to Select Committee [Private Members] � � � � � �1213 21/02/2017SS00500Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Order for Report Stage � � � � � � � � �1214 21/02/2017SS00800Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1214 21/02/2017TT00300Public Services and Procurement (Social Value) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] � � � � � � � � � � �1216 21/02/2017CCC00350Public Services and Procurement (Social Value) Bill 2017: Referral to Select Committee [Private Members] 1239 DÁIL ÉIREANN Dé Máirt, 21 Feabhra 2017 Tuesday, 21 February 2017 Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 2 p�m� Paidir. Prayer. Leaders’ Questions 21/02/2017A00200Deputy Micheál Martin: The most recent figures from Focus Ireland show an extraordi- nary crisis in homelessness and in the lack of housing in Ireland� They show 7,167 people are homeless in Ireland as nationally 4,760 adults and 2,704 dependants are homeless. These fig- ures are extraordinary. The total number of people who are homeless rose by 25% from January 2016 to January 2017� This indicates a complete lethargy and lack of action in dealing with an emergency for many families throughout the State� In December, 87 families became newly homeless in Dublin� On average, 72 families became newly homeless each month over the past 12 months. Focus Ireland has stated that, strikingly, every five hours in Dublin a child became homeless in January this year� That is an appalling indictment of the last Government and par- ticularly of the initiatives that had been announced but have not borne fruit in dealing with the homelessness issue or the numbers of families who simply cannot get a house� Most Members of this Oireachtas would know - particularly after the last two months and all the hoohah before Christmas on rent control measures - that the number of families who have been given dead- lines to leave their current homes in February and March this year is growing alarmingly� All the while, there has been a lack of any meaningful impact on the supply side with an extraor- dinary lack of public investment in providing housing infrastructure and social housing� For example, I refer to the Juncker plan, which is the European Fund for Strategic Investments, in which the EU wanted to mobilise €500 billion in infrastructural investment but the Government decided to not partake in that apart from for a few health centres� The fund was not used for public housing infrastructure or housing provision� The Department is unwilling to use public private partnership, PPP, finance and has, in my view, fairly archaic and out-of-date provisions to prevent that� The Taoiseach might consult his former adviser, Andrew McDowell, about his views on the restrictive and conservative views of the Government in regard to mobilising and leveraging substantial investment� We have the second lowest capital spend in Europe as a re- sult of that kind of conservatism and approach, and the housing crisis gets worse� The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government appeared in the media at the weekend giving the Taoiseach a deadline and a timeline in terms of when he should 1122 21 February 2017 leave office. I think it would have been far more focused of the Minister if he concentrated on what is an appalling emergency for thousands of families in this country, one that is going to get worse because of the lack of tangible action and effective outcomes from all of the strategies that have been announced� 21/02/2017B00200Deputy Timmy Dooley: What do you think, Charlie? Do you think Simon wants out of housing? 21/02/2017B00300The Taoiseach: Yesterday, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Gov- ernment published his plans for 8,500 social housing units. The figures speak for themselves but they do not show the extent of background work that has gone into preparing to deal with these situations� Some 7,167 people used State emergency accommodation nationally during a week in January, which included 4,760 adults. The first status report on social housing con- struction projects was published yesterday so the status of social housing construction nation- wide is there for all to see� There will 47,000 new social housing units by 2021, with funding in place of €5�35 billion, as the Deputy knows� The recent Rebuilding Ireland quarterly progress report, which is on the Rebuilding Ireland website, shows that, in 2016, over 18,300 social housing supports were provided; 5,280 new social houses were purchased, leased, remediated or built; extensive additional supports were provided under the housing assistance payment and the rental accommodation scheme; and the new Housing Delivery Office has been established within the Department of Housing, Plan- ning, Community and Local Government� Yesterday, in publishing the status report, the Minis- ter, Deputy Coveney, pointed out there are 504 projects, involving 8,430 homes, currently in de- velopment� Of these,
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