This Saturday at 1 p.m., there will be a gathering at the Dublin City Council buildings on Wood Quay of families who are facing mass eviction. Those in Tathony House and those on Rathmines Road are coming together. They will be supported by Peter McVerry and they are calling on supporters across the city to come and rally with them. Their clear message is that they should not be made homeless. It is a demand on the council to do the right thing and buy the buildings to ensure the tenants can remain in situ. If the Government proceeds with its plan to lift the so-called eviction ban, which in reality is very partial, on 1 April, those families will be joined by thousands more.

We have the highest number of homeless people on record, at more than 11,500 people. We know evictions are the number one cause of this. Does the Tánaiste accept we need a proper eviction ban extended beyond 1 April?

The homeless situation is much more complex than the Deputy has articulated. There are quite a number of factors that give rise to the increase in homelessness. The Government will consider the eviction ban in due course, because it has impacts across the board. We will examine its extension or otherwise. We will look at the impact of it and evaluate its impact to date. The ban has been an important measure through the winter period in particular.

With regard to specific cases, the Minister has given authority to local authorities to purchase individual houses where there are tenants or people in situ who could otherwise be made homeless as a result of the sale of a house. That has been used quite significantly by the local authorities.