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

I told him I would heckle him but I probably will not do that. I have noticed that the length of time families are spending in emergency accommodation in Dublin city and county is increasing. We had found it was about 12 months in Dublin city and six or seven months in south Dublin but it is now hitting 12 months and more in south Dublin and 18 to 24 months in Dublin city. Does Focus Ireland have any figures on the length of time families are in emergency accommodation?

There is an increasing number of families for whom there is no emergency accommodation on any given day and, therefore, those families are either forced to over-hold on private rental accommodation where they have notices to quit, or the family has to split up and make very difficult arrangements, such as multiple sofa surfing among family and friends. Is this something Focus Ireland has experience of and will the witnesses comment on it?

I was not aware the 50% priority allocation was no longer being followed by the four Dublin local authorities, although I knew it had not been extended. My understanding was the local authorities were still applying it but if that is not the case, the witnesses might clarify this.

On rent supplement, one of the issues some of us are grappling with is that if there is an across-the-board increase in rent supplement, at some stage the private rental market is going to absorb that into its overall calculation of rents. I am in favour of the increase in rent supplement to market levels for the reasons given by the witnesses. Has Focus Ireland taken a position on the issue of rent certainty in order to try to provide a cap at the other end? If so, what is its preferred model of rent certainty?

I want to raise the issue of standards in emergency accommodation, particularly for children. Given the fact we are seeing an increasing number of families entering emergency accommodation, have the witnesses specific recommendations in terms of how to improve the quality of that emergency accommodation?

I know the focus is on prevention but I would still be keen to hear their views on that matter, particularly as the organisation's focus is on families that are homeless.