I have raised the issue of homelessness with the Taoiseach many times. Each time I have done so the Taoiseach has repeated the mantra that the Government is addressing this crisis and that it is a priority. That is patently untrue. In the first three quarters of 2015 only a grand total of 28 local authority homes was built, and none in my constituency at a time when children are spending their formative years in hotel rooms.

Last night on RTÉ the stark reality of families living in chaos in emergency accommodation was highlighted and quite rightly has drawn widespread condemnation and outright disgust. The Taoiseach says it is not acceptable that emergency accommodation for homeless families is not fit for purpose but what about the fact that they are in emergency accommodation in the first place? Is that not also unacceptable? The figures do not lie. There are 5,100 citizens in homeless accommodation, including 1,638 children.

No doubt some of these children will read the 1916 Proclamation in their classrooms during this centenary year. What will it mean to them? What does it mean to the Taoiseach and to his Government? He would rather cherish all the bankers equally than all the children of the nation. He would rather have United States style tax cuts for the wealthy than help those in need of a home. Will the Taoiseach acknowledge that homelessness is a consequence, a result, of Government policy? He had choices to make and made the wrong ones. Will he at least acknowledge that?

I acknowledge that the Government inherited an unprecedented situation where among other sectors the housing construction sector had collapsed completely. I acknowledge that the Government has put in place a clear plan and strategy and put money on the table to deal with that. I have given Deputy Adams’s colleague in opposition the figures that apply to the last period.

In terms of direct build local authorities, the chief executives and their staff have been given money, targets and objectives, and told to get on with it. We need to see the blocks and concrete and houses emerging from the 300 sites at various stages of development all around the country. I will send the Deputy the details for his information.

I do not need the Taoiseach to do that.

I will send them to him, whether he reads them or not.

He said he did not need it.

Unsolicited junk mail.

We have also worked with the representative bodies for the approved housing body sector, that is the Irish Council for Social Housing and the National Association of Building Co-Operatives, and both are members of the oversight group. The 18 local authority areas supported 6,000 families in the housing assistance programme, HAP. A site selection process is under way for the first bundle of public private partnership, PPP, houses comprising six sites to provide 500 houses in the greater Dublin area. That will add to the situation.

The Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE, confirmed that 175 additional beds will be available on an emergency basis throughout the winter. I am glad that all of the agencies get extensive support from central funds. Together with Dublin City Council and its personnel, we were able to deal to the best extent possible with rough sleepers and homelessness on the streets this Christmas. That needs to continue for the spell of cold weather that may lie ahead. I do not know whether the Deputy visited the 100 bed facility, Bru Aimsir, that opened in Dublin 8 but it was a very welcome addition to the stock of beds available for rough sleepers, properly assessed, minded, cared for and there is further scope there if that is required. That, together with the Merchants Quay night café and other facilities for rough sleepers in Dublin, has meant that nobody should be on the streets who does not want to be on the streets.

The Government took as a priority dealing with the immediate issues that it could deal with, returning buildings that were neglected or voided to a habitable status. The facilities brought in by HAP and the supplementary increase under the tenancy emergency scheme have made a significant difference to thousands of families but the real problem is dealing with supply. That is now in hand, not just in the greater Dublin area but throughout the country and there is money on the table and an objective set of directions given.

The Taoiseach knows as well as I do that politics is a matter of political choices. He made his choice for the first four years of his Government. Of course it did inherit a bad situation from Fianna Fáil and the Green Party but it did not build social and affordable housing. In 2015 family homelessness rose by 93%. It has doubled in one year on the Taoiseach’s watch. Those figures do not include the hidden homeless. The Taoiseach tried to rationalise a moment ago how these issues arise. Cathy, who is a constituent of mine, is forced to sleep on a couch in an overcrowded house. She has a job but she cannot afford to pay rent. She is one of many people not officially classed as homeless.

The Democratic Programme of the First Dáil states: "It shall be the first duty of the Government of the Republic to make provision for the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the children, to secure that no child shall suffer hunger or cold from lack of food, clothing, or shelter". The Taoiseach does not believe that. That is his political choice. He says he will now deal with the issue. Is that not strange weeks out from an election? He is now going to deal with it, yet another election promise. Too little, too late.

He says he did not have the money for homes but he had €64 billion for bankers. He should consider how much even a fraction of that €64 billion would have contributed to avoiding this crisis or to rectifying it. The Taoiseach’s time is up. He has run his race but before he goes why does he not explain to the citizens why he did not spend even a fraction of that €64 billion on dealing with the issue of homes for citizens instead of giving it to the banks?

I thank Deputy Adams for that. Obviously, given the mess that the Government inherited the question of taxpayers’ money going into banks was of critical importance. Over €30 billion was lost and wasted by the previous Administration. The remaining €30 billion will be recovered by the taxpayer in full over the next period of time. That crowd there did all of that, wasted and lost it.

What about the Taoiseach’s crowd?

Deputy Adams legitimately asked on many occasions was this Government going to continue to pay €3 billion in interest rates every year for Anglo Irish Bank.

Cue the promissory note.

He asked the question for months. That was not part of the programme this Government implemented because we did a different deal with the European Central Bank.

However, we were told only recently that this was a follow on, implementing the previous administration's catastrophic position.

Answer the question, Taoiseach.

Yes, I will answer the question.

We are over time.

I am telling the Deputy that of the €64 billion, half is gone forever. The other half put in by this Government in restructured banks will be recovered by the taxpayer in full over the period of time ahead. The target for 2016 is to deliver 17,000 units of social housing, which is double what was going on before. That is in addition to a return to use of voided units, places that were not finished and which were neglected.

Other issues, including the housing assistance programme and the supplementary increase under the tenancy scheme, are all of assistance to thousands of families. I admit that we do not have social housing for everybody.

It cannot be otherwise.

However, because of the increase in employment and the fact that our economy is growing, we have been able to put €3 billion on the table between now and 2020 specifically for social housing. In addition, the Minister has given instructions and directions to the local authorities in respect of the money, the target and the housing programme to be delivered and has asked them to get on with it. We were not able to do that when we did not have an economy to invest in those kind of facilities.

Get on and call the election, will you?

Please. We are over time.

Having served on a local authority for years, I would be the first to say to Deputy Adams that people deserve an opportunity to have a house.

The Taoiseach will not even use the word "crisis".

We cannot do it unless we deal with the supply of housing. That supply requires a facility and environment that will make it possible. One cannot do it unless one has an economy that drives that.

The penny drops.

The Taoiseach is driving people into homelessness.

We now have a programme, a strategy and a clear plan to catch up given the neglect and collapse caused by the crowd that were in before. We will do it over the period ahead.