In three days' time, there is about to be an avalanche of people who will be evicted in this State. In my county, there are 127 eviction notices and 31 properties for rent. There are zero emergency accommodation beds available through the local authority. Many people are lying in their beds in fear of what is about to happen to them. What mitigation policies has the Minister put in place to help those people through eviction?

I thank the Deputy. The primary responsibility for the delivery of housing rests with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which is taking new measures to put in place additional accommodation to mitigate the impact of the end of the eviction ban.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make additional needs payments to help to meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. The scheme is demand-led and there is no budget cap. Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance, including persons experiencing difficulty resulting from the ending of the eviction ban.

This support is not restricted to those already on a social welfare payment and may also be available to those working on a low income. For homeless households or households at immediate risk of homelessness, who have a long-term housing need, a homeless housing assistance payment place finder service is operated by the local authorities. This service provides assistance by sourcing suitable accommodation and by providing access to the payment of a deposit and advance rent on behalf of the tenant.

I encourage any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment to contact their local community welfare service. There is a national community welfare contact centre in place on 0818-607080, which will direct callers to the appropriate office. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

How many people will be evicted in this State in the next seven to ten months? What modelling has the Government done to identify the number of people who will be evicted from their homes in this country? What modelling has the Government done to find out how many houses are available and what emergency accommodation is needed in this country as a result of the policies it has taken? Is the decision taken an evidence-based one or are we going on the basis of hope or ideology?

The Minister referred to the level of additional needs. How much money does she think will be necessary to provide additional needs payments until the end of the year? How much will a family be able to draw down? What is the cost of homelessness? If one cannot get emergency accommodation from a local authority and one is faced with a tent or Garda station as one’s home, what are the costs that will be faced by individuals and what is the limit to what a family can draw down through the additional needs payments?

My Department provides the additional needs payment, which can be for rent or a deposit if needed. The scheme is demand-led, and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into consideration the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

A person who is working can still have access to additional needs payments. Where someone who works is on a low income, an additional needs payment is appropriate and is not limited to those working fewer than 30 hours. There is no budgetary limit on the additional needs payment budget within the Department. It is demand-led, so it is there. It is the State’s safety net when somebody needs help. Additional needs payments can be made on a flexible basis, taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the case and the nature of the need.

I asked the Minister how many people will need the additional needs payment. How many people will be evicted?

It is demand-led.

That means it is as long as a piece of string. Surely the Government made a decision on the basis of evidence. For example, the Minister would not vote to take away protection from eviction for people with disabilities unless she knew how many people were likely to be evicted in that cohort. I am sure she would not have allowed the Government to get rid of the safeguards against evictions for people with terminal illnesses unless she knew the evidence and the modelling on how many of those people would be made homeless. How many people are going to be made homeless? Has the Minister made her decision as a Cabinet Minister on the basis of facts, figures, evidence and models from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, or is it based on a hunch? Many people are worried that the Government has made a decision on the eviction ban on a hunch. How many people are going to be made homeless through eviction in the next 12 months and what type of budget will be drawn down on that basis?

To be very clear, the additional needs payment is available to support people who need it. As I said to the Deputy earlier, it is a demand-led scheme. There is no budget cap.

What is the demand?

It is a demand-led scheme with no budget cap.

The Minister must have an idea of what it is going to cost.

It is there to support people when they need it.

The Minister must have an idea of how much it will cost. Is she saying she does not have any idea of what the expected level of evictions will be in the next ten months? Is she honestly saying that the Government has made such a decision-----

The Deputy is way over time.

We have 25 seconds left.

The Minister did not use her time. That is okay.

But I have asked a question and the Minister has not answered it. It is a very relevant question.

The Deputy knows well what the rules are in regard to questions. He has made his point.

It is important that the Minister responds. It is scandalous that a Government Minister would make a decision on evictions without knowing how many people will be homeless.

Deputy Tóibín should please finish. I have given him great scope.