Minister must address soaring temporary accommodation spend - McCrossan

SDLP West Tyrone MLA., Daniel McCrossan has said Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, must urgently address his department’s spending on temporary accommodation.

He was speaking after a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report found that £40m was spent on temporary accommodation in 2024/25.

Mr McCrossan, who chairs the PAC, said the Minister and the Housing Executive must return within the next year with a credible plan to tackle the underlying causes of the crisis.

“This eye-watering spend on temporary accommodation represents a short-term fix that delivers poor outcomes for families and poor value for taxpayers," he said.

"It leaves families without stability, children forced to move home or school at short notice and does nothing to address the root causes of homelessness or the chronic shortage of social housing.

“The Executive has repeatedly failed to treat housing as the priority it demands.

"The Minister is set to miss even the modest housing target he set for himself this year.

"While there has been some movement around the Housing Executive purchasing additional units, that falls far short of the scale required when more than 30,000 households are experiencing homelessness and the social housing waiting list stands at almost double that figure."

Mr McCrossan added: "The Minister and the Housing Executive now have a year to respond formally to the PAC report.

"What they bring back must be more than warm words, it must recognise the depth of this crisis and set out clear, deliverable actions to increase supply and reduce reliance on costly temporary accommodation.

“Everyone deserves the dignity and security of a stable home.

"Continuing to pour millions into temporary fixes while families remain in limbo is neither sustainable nor defensible.”