Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It would be useful for the committee to have that information prior to the Minister attending it. Obviously, the Tyrrelstown residents’ request is that the committee asks the new Minister what he will do with the request put to the former Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, some months ago.

There are ways for the State to facilitate the purchase of these houses. Putting in place such models would mean that when other Tyrrelstown situations emerge, as they will, families can be kept in their homes. The one immediate action the committee can take is to get that information. Accordingly, when we produce our report in several weeks’ time, it will have clear recommendations to deal with these kinds of crises. If we do not do that, families such as these, as well as the hundreds, if not thousands, of other families which are going to come down the line afterwards, will also be entering into the homelessness system. This is part of what we are trying to prevent.

The Tyrrelstown group has the support of Deputies like me, but we need that information to be able to progress solutions. We are being asked to come up with practical solutions. There are solutions and the information I am requesting would help us.