REBUILDING IRELAND

Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homeless is an initiative developed by the government of Ireland in 2016 to tackle homelessness.

Designed to accelerate housing supply in this country, Rebuilding Ireland is tackling our country’s housing shortage. This action-driven plan will result in a dramatic increase in the delivery of homes nationwide. Ambitious and imaginative in its reach, and radical in its approach, this plan will address the needs of homeless people and families in emergency accommodation, accelerate the provision of social housing, deliver more housing, utilise vacant homes and improve the rental sector.

A significant priority for the Government, this innovative and future-facing plan of action ranges across financing measures, better use of existing homes, new construction and rental sector improvements, while effective methods for delivering on the Plan’s stated ambitions will also be refined.

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Overview of Government Response 

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Addressing the issue of homelessness involves a cross Government response:

• The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government's  role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level

• Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.If you are homeless please contact the Housing Section of your local authority.

• The Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for the provision of healthcare and social supports for homeless persons managing a significant annual budget for direct homeless services. Details are available are on the HSE website.

• Tusla – Child and Family Agency is responsible for services to support victims of domestic abuse. Details are available on the Tusla - Child and Family Agency

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Interviews by Irish Politicians Responding on Homeless & Housing Policy

Minister Murphy
Announces Housing Budget

• €1.9billion - 46% increase in housing budget for 2018

• Housing needs of 25,500  families to be met in 2018

• €500million extra to support new target of 50,000 homes for those on social housing waiting lists

• Targeting 3,000 exits from homelessness in 2018

• Range of measures on vacancy including increase in Vacant Site Levy.

•  €75m for new affordable housing initiatives

Housing Delivery

• In Budget 2018, the total funding provision of €1.9 billion is an increase of 46% over 2017 and it will allow us to meet the social housing needs of 25,500 households.   A large element – €1.14 billion – is for the delivery of almost 5,900 social homes through a range of construction (5,000) and acquisition (900) programmes.

• The balance of the funding will add additional tenancies – and maintain existing ones - through HAP, RAS and long-term leasing.  It will also fund other important housing supports and services in relation to homelessness, regeneration and programmes to upgrade existing housing (energy efficiency improvements, adaptation grants, housing for Travellers, pyrite, etc).

• An allocation of €301 million (+€149m on 2017) for the Housing Assistance Payment which will enable a further 17,000 households to be accommodated, as well as support the 32,000 existing HAP tenancies.

• Funding of €134 million will support a further 600 new transfers under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and also the ongoing cost of 19,900 households supported under the scheme;

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