Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 29 March 2018
Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised)
10:00 am
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source
Fáiltím an Taoiseach agus a chomhghleacaithe chuig an choiste.
I will begin by asking the Taoiseach about a comment in his opening statement. How can the committee take the Taoiseach seriously in his claim that homelessness remains a Government priority, given the level of homelessness we have seen under his reign? Since the last general election, homelessness for children has increased by 100%. Last night, a total of 3,755 children were sleeping in emergency accommodation in hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation and family hubs. In the past 12 months, child homelessness has increased by 50%, yet we are expected to believe somehow that this is a Government priority. If it is a Government priority, does the Taoiseach acknowledge that he and his Cabinet colleagues are failing miserably? I say as much given the unprecedented level of homelessness, in particular child homelessness, that we now have in the State.
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