Fine Gael Dublin South Central TD, Catherine Byrne, has welcomed the fact that Dublin families with no homes will benefit from the new Social Impact Investment scheme, as announced in Budget 2014.

Private sector investment partners are being sought for the pilot phase of the scheme, which aims to provide long-term stable homes for homeless families.

She said: "I am pleased that Dublin families without homes are set to benefit from this new Social Impact Investment scheme. I raised the matter of homelessness with the Minister for Housing, Jan O'Sullivan TD, recently, as the issue is of particular relevance in my constituency.

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"In Dublin city alone, approximately 16,000 people are on the housing list, with some 7,000 of these individuals living in my area of Dublin South-Central. The majority of people who attend my clinics have problems with housing. Many of those who are trying to get housing have been on the list for more than ten years. It is a disgrace that so many people were not housed during the boom years under the last Government when much more money was available.

"This pilot programme, along with the other progressive announcements in Budget 2014, will go a long way towards making more housing available in Dublin and decreasing the numbers of homeless people. Seventy per cent of the Department of the Environment's budget will go towards supporting housing in 2014. At least 185 new units will be provided, up to 2,500 transfers will take place under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and a further 4,400 leased housing units will be secured next year."

(CD/JP)