Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Vice Chairman. I appreciate everything Dr. O'Carroll is doing. He is doing a fantastic job. What about Limerick? All of the reports to date have been in regard to Dublin. Limerick and every other county in Ireland should be monitored with the same capacity as Dublin has experienced. We are seeing a massive increase in homelessness throughout the country and it is likely it will escalate further as a result of the shortage of houses and the cost of rents. We are all seeing increased prices in regard to housing materials, which thus far have escalated by over 40% and 50%. Owing to economics and an inability to be able to afford to buy or rent a home, many people who otherwise would not have been on homeless lists previously will be affected. When will the current report be completed and, when completed, will it report on a county by county basis?

It has been stated that a great deal of homelessness is city-based. There is a great deal of county-based homelessness as well and the figures in this regard have been increasing for the past couple of years for various reasons. I have sympathy for anyone who finds himself or herself homeless regardless of the reason for it. The charity organisations in Limerick do great work to support different agencies to support homelessness and people with mental health and financial issues. Whether short-term or long-term, a great deal of work is done by the charities in Limerick. I would like to know if the report when completed will report on a county by county basis.