I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 75 together.
Addressing homelessness is a key Government priority. Ireland signed the Lisbon Declaration in June 2021, which committed all signatories to work towards ending homelessness by 2030. The Government reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to the Lisbon Declaration in the Programme for Government.
Housing for All, which was published in 2021, contains a suite of actions that have, and continue to, increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens. The Plan also includes a range of measures to address homelessness. The new Programme for Government includes additional measures which the Government will take to address homelessness. This includes developing and Cross Government Prevention Framework and reforming the legislative framework. Any proposed changes to the legislation will be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas in line with the normal legislative process.
Funding of €303 million is available for the delivery of homeless services in 2025. This funding supports the provision of emergency accommodation and wrap around supports. In addition, capital funding of €25m will support the delivery of high quality transitional and emergency accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness. A key focus of local authorities and their service delivery partners is to support households experiencing emergency accommodation to exit emergency accommodation to a tenancy.
Critical to addressing homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. The overall capital funding available for housing in 2025 is now over €6.5 billion, to support the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes. Housing supply has increased significantly since the publication of Housing for All in 2021. In particular, 22,192 social homes have been delivered through Build, Acquisition and Leasing schemes in 2022 and 2023. The delivery figure for 2024 is currently being collated. This increased supply of social housing is supporting the increased allocation of homes to households on the social housing waiting list, including households in emergency accommodation.
