The national homeless charity Peter McVerry Trust has welcomed the housing, health and education measures published in Budget 2021.
The charity said the budget delivers a "significant programme of capital investment" in those key areas and has answered calls "for a more ambitious and enlarged social housing programme".
Some €22m has been announced for homelessness programmes, including additional beds.
Additionally, €500m is to be made available for capital expenditure on housing for 9,500 new social housing units in 2021.
Pat Doyle, the CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, said “We warmly welcome Budget 2021. It delivers major investment in several key areas such as housing, education and health.
"It will enable local authorities and housing charities to make major progress in providing critical housing pathways to people in homelessness and on social housing waiting lists.
“We welcome the increase in the funds for key homeless services such as cold weather supports, day services, and emergency accommodation for people impacted by homelessness.
"These funds will ensure that our local authority partners can continue to work with NGOs to deliver the new capacity needed this winter and into 2021.”
We are pleased to hear Minister Donohoe reference that #Budget2021 will protect those that are marginalised in our society.
— Peter McVerry Trust (@PMVTrust) October 13, 2020
In today's budget, the biggest in the history of the State, it was also announced that there will be an expansion of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme tenancies, with 85,000 tenancies supported through next year.
The Land Development Agency will have €1.2bn of funding available to deliver nearly 9,000 affordable housing and cost rental over the next few years
Mr Doyle said the increase in HAP funding "will enable more people to exit homelessness through the private rental sector, and as a result, reduce pressures on existing homeless emergency accommodation services”.
He added: "This budget also recognises that major capital investment in social housing will not only help to meet housing needs but also drive economic recovery into the future.
“We particularly welcome the commitment to increase targets for one-bed social housing delivery which will strengthen the delivery of the Housing First programme, which offers secure housing pathways and wraparound supports for rough sleepers and those experiencing long-term homelessness.”
Mr Doyle also said that additional funding for education, mental health and drug treatment services would also make a difference to the fight against homelessness.
