Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We should have both. We should have representatives and people experiencing homelessness.

With regard to private session, the way members are speaking about homeless is in danger of being incredibly patronising. Homeless people are not a species apart who are sensitive and vulnerable. Anyone invited before the committee to speak will know they are speaking to members. They are intelligent people and they can make that decision for themselves. I am wary of the message that would be sent by meeting homeless people in private. Anyone who is invited will know he or she is being invited. Many homeless people have made the decision to speak out and that is what I am talking about.

Members are saying they are dealing with homeless people. Some are but others are not as much. However, there are particular problems we should deal with, for example, travelling between school and emergency accommodation at huge cost to the persons involved. We should propose something on that. There is also the issue of homelessness among non-Irish people. This has not featured but it is a massive issue in my constituency, which is affected disproportionately. This is a problem for Muslims and Africans and there are different cultural issues. Meeting homeless people in private will send out the wrong message. We should invite people in.