Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
408. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Department has undertaken any assessment of the impact of reduced tenant-in-situ acquisitions on entries into emergency accommodation in 2025; and if so, if he will publish that assessment. [13857/26]
View answerSupporting individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness is a priority for my Department and Government. My Department closely monitors the reason for presentation of new households entering homeless emergency accommodation, in addition to household preventions and exits from emergency accommodation.
My Department publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. These quarterly reports include information on presentations to homeless services by new single adult and family households who entered emergency accommodation, exits from emergency accommodation and preventions from entering emergency accommodation. The most recent published data is in respect of Q4 2025 and is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/
Tenancy Sustainment or Tenant in situ, is a priority category under my Department's Second Hand Acquisitions Programme. Ultimately, a tenancy sustainment acquisition is a last resort policy tool available to local authorities to prevent social housing supported households in the private rented sector from falling into homelessness. It should not be viewed as a default first response, rather it should be used as an emergency response solution when all other options have been exhausted.
Prevention of homelessness in the first instance is essential with many prevention initiatives already underway in my Department and across Government. This includes the provision of social and affordable housing, HAP and homeless HAP, and our strong tenancy protection legislation. In order to ensure a fully aligned all-of-Government approach under the Plan, there is a commitment to develop a national Homelessness Prevention Framework within which homelessness can be prevented in a structured and planned way with tailored prevention measures for each potential at risk cohort. This Framework will be in place in 2026.
