Alan Kelly to bring modular housing proposals to Cabinet

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has confirmed he will bring emergency proposals to fast-track the planning and procurement process for modular homes to Cabinet today.

The selection of sites for factory-built homes for Dublin’s homeless families has already begun in a bid to end the use of B&B and hotel accommodation.

Speaking on his way into Cabinet on Tuesday, Mr Kelly said homelessness was a huge and complex issue.

“Certainly today I will be bringing forward proposals to Government in relation to the whole issue of modular housing and how we can expediate that as quickly as possible through fast-tracking planning and procurement as necessary,” he said.

President Michael D Higgins said homelessness in Ireland was “not acceptable” when he spoke in New York on Monday after the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit.

Mr Higgins told RTÉ it was a “failure” every time a homeless person in Ireland did not have shelter. Homelessness was a “great moral test”, he said, and added that it should be possible to deal with “issues of shelter and issues of housing”.

Asked about the President’s comments, Mr Kelly said he agreed with most of what Mr Higgins said.

“I think the President’s entitled to make his comments and by and large I obviously agree with him. I would be surprised if he didn’t make comments like that,” he said.

“Homelessness is a huge issue, I don’t deny that. It’s a very complex issue. It’s not an issue of just providing a roof over people’s heads alone. We can do that. But there are many different issues facing many of the people who end up rough sleeping.

“In some cases they are helped. In some cases they don’t take help. In some cases the intervention mechanisms are working. In some cases unfortunately they are not.”

He said different types of people became homeless but his priority was homeless families, particularly children.

“We are continuously looking for accommodation and we are finding accommodation to ensure that those people can be helped because really I think they are a massive priority, particularly where children are involved.”