The local authority in Waterford was able to reduce the number of families in emergency accommodation by 93 per cent within three years.
That's according to Fine Gael Senator John Cummins who was speaking before the Oireachtas Housing Committee.
He believes other areas can learn from Waterford.
"Waterford City and County Council has been able to reduce the number of families in emergency accommodation by 93% in the period between 2017 and 2020 and the individual homeless figures by 55%.
"This was despite the fact that the number of presentations effectively doubled in the same period.
"I am firmly of the belief that if that can be done in an urban centre like Waterford, then it can also be done in other urban centres."
He says they can't achieve anything without supply
"We cannot continue to have the utopian view that the only way to proceed is by means of direct builds, which are not a quick delivery method.
"The repair-and-lease scheme in County Waterford has been transformational in the delivery of one- and two-bed units. I am sure everyone involved in homeless services would agree that such delivery is key to addressing the homeless figures.
"In that context, 44% of the one- and two-bed units delivered by Waterford City and County Council in recent years were delivered through the scheme to which I refer.
"It is a crying shame that a scheme that has been proven to work is not being utilised to the full extent by other local authorities and approved housing bodies.
"It should not be the case that 45% of all repair-and-lease units in the country have been delivered in Waterford."
