Mr. John Corrie was found dead across the road on Molesworth Street six months ago. In a flurry of activity which followed his death, an extra 260 beds were opened for emergency accommodation. Those were filled immediately, over the Christmas period and since, by those who were sleeping rough at the time. A new night café, operated by Merchants Quay, which accommodated 50 homeless a night sleeping on rugs and mats, was opened. However, in that time, those sleeping rough in the city has only fallen by 15. The most recent count shows that there were 150 sleeping rough in this city. There are rumours amongst those who are homeless that the temporary accommodation, that 260 beds to which I referred, will soon be closed because it was a temporary arrangement until June. What we are urgently requesting from the Government is a commitment to maintain those beds at a minimum and to increase the emergency accommodation. Does the Minister agree that we also need to stem the flow of tenants into homelessness which is happening continuously in this city - that is why the number is not being addressed - by providing a pathway into housing? Does he accept that the housing crisis is, in fact, creating a homeless crisis in this city and that one of the steps required is for the Government to introduce fair rent controls or at least rent certainty, as promised recently by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, at the Labour Party conference?

I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this question. This is an area where significant effort has been put in by the Minister, Deputy Kelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey. No doubt that sad death triggered a concerted response and we have seen an improvement in those numbers. However, Deputy Ó Snodaigh is correct that this needs a sustained strategy and that is what the Minister, Deputy Kelly, has put in place. The Minister has now put in place a social housing strategy which will develop 35,000 extra social units over the next number of years and he is determined to see a very significant increase in the availability of social housing. At the same time the Government has, through its construction strategy, sought to improve the private sector's response to the growing housing needs.

There are encouraging signs of a growing level of activity in the housing market. However, work must continue. The Government is rolling out detailed strategies on both construction and social housing. These are very important initiatives. As to the role of rent controls, in the past where price controls were put in place, it did not tend to stimulate supply and this must be factored into any consideration of such a response. If one wants to see more private rented accommodation, because there has been a decline in the availability of rental accommodation, one must consider the reason for the existence of supply bottlenecks. That is the primary focus of attention but the Government will keep all options under review as it deals with the development of both the social housing strategy and the construction strategy.

I do not know how much the Minister is aware of what is happening in Dublin City Council. At the moment, Dublin City Council staff are offering sleeping bags to some of the homeless people instead of emergency accommodation. This shows how little emergency accommodation is available to Dublin City Council. There is a crisis for those who are already in crisis and who are attending the crisis service in Dublin City Council.

It was revealed at this month's meeting of Dublin City Council that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has not yet released any of the funding to Dublin City Council to combat homelessness, and this is despite the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, having made several announcements to the contrary. Meanwhile, the Minister has continued his road trip announcing billions of euro which have not been made available to the city council to carry out the work it needs to do in order to deliver social housing.

Dublin is facing an unprecedented crisis and it is the same in other cities throughout the country. When will the Government release the promised funding to allow Dublin City Council begin to tackle the unprecedented housing crisis in this city? There is less private rented accommodation available and private rents are going up, well beyond the reach of those who are dependent on rent allowance. There are fewer social housing units available. There is a crisis that has not had the proper response to date because the funding has not been released, despite continuous announcements by this Government, in particular, since the death of Jonathan Corrie six months ago.

My understanding is that each local authority has been asked to submit plans. Dublin City Council has submitted plans for individual sites and for individual social housing projects. These will be approved in accordance with the usual procedures. The council blocked some of the proposals, as is its right. However, the new social housing strategy developed by the Minister, Deputy Kelly, means there is a significant focus on the delivery of construction projects in every part of Dublin city. I am confident that the target set and the availability of new houses for letting in Dublin city will increase twofold or threefold over the coming years as the strategy unfolds. This is a very important strategy. The proposals by the various councils are being evaluated and I am sure they will be approved as rapidly as possible.