Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the Bill. Earlier this week we heard the story of a woman in emergency accommodation delivering stillborn twins, which is horrific. It is frightening that this is happening in 2018. We must ensure this does not happen again. The point was made to me recently that a generation of children are growing up thinking that "no fixed abode" is an address. Children in homelessness have no home address and they think this is normal. It is not. We have to ensure that in the future we do not have children or families in emergency accommodation such as family hubs and hotels. Reports on families in the hubs and emergency accommodation such as hotels cite stress, arguments and feelings of hopelessness among families and children. This is unacceptable. Worryingly, the homeless crisis continues. Every day we wake up to stories of another family being made homeless. This is unacceptable.

There are 31 local authorities. Every one of them has the means to deal with homelessness. In Carlow, when a person or family presents as homeless the local authority secures accommodation for them. However, like other local authorities Carlow County Council does not have emergency accommodation units and so there is nowhere to accommodate people other than in a hotel. While I welcome the Bill, what we need is secure accommodation for homeless families and children. We need houses and emergency units such that if a person or family presents at my clinic at night or over the weekend there is somewhere I can send them. In some local authorities it is hard to access a service for homeless people. We need to address this issue.

Reference was made to official guidelines. It is crucial that every local authority has official guidelines on homelessness, particularly for children. The main factors in regard to homelessness are high rents and a lack of housing. Unless we address these issues, the crisis will worsen. As I said, I support the Bill but I believe we need proper guidelines in every local authority in order that every local authority is accountable for every family that seeks assistance from it. We have to ensure that people who find themselves in an accommodation crisis on a Friday evening or at the weekend have access to a 24-7 service.

Deputy Jan O'Sullivan referred to the issue of cost in terms of what is proposed in the Bill. Cost is a major factor in the homelessness crisis. The Deputy is correct that we need to ensure this legislation is not held up on the basis of cost. I firmly believe that when it comes to the delivery of housing, children with disabilities and access to disability grants and so on the main issue is funding. We have to make sure this Bill proceeds to ensure there will be more accommodation available to families and children in homelessness.

It will be a good Bill and I will fully support it.