Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree, particularly with the point on the fuel allowance. A large number of people narrowly fall outside qualifying for it but are still struggling. Sometimes, I do not think there is any joined-up thinking on how to tackle the root of the problem.

I agree that a large number of children are struggling in school. They have lost a year and a half of school. In certain ways, it feels like everything has gone back to normal for them even though it has not. They just go into the next class. There may be emotional impacts for children. If children start struggling and falling behind, they might think they cannot do it, and we all know the vicious cycle to which that can lead. I was glad to hear Ms Connolly mention those points.

What are Focus Ireland's opinions on the situation? The point concerning Waterford City and County Council was interesting, although not every local authority has the resources to manage something like that.

I wish to mention two groups, the first of which is the hidden homeless, namely, people who are staying in overcrowded conditions with family members or friends. I know of families that genuinely want to help out but are afraid to do so because they do not know how long someone might be with them. What might once have been a few weeks or months is now a year or a year and a half. I can understand where local authorities are coming from because they are under pressure. If two or three families are presenting as homeless, who genuinely does not have a bed for the night? People are effectively seen as being sorted even though they are not.

I raise this matter because of its impact on children. Children worry, but it can take a while to pick up on that because they hide their worry. They are trying to cope themselves and they can see that their parents are stressed, so they try to not raise the issue. Previously, they might have been able to have friends over or attend birthday parties, but that type of thing is gone now. This is a difficult situation for people and, sometimes, they can fall through the cracks.

I also wish to discuss the issue of domestic violence. I am frustrated by the fact that it is women – I know that men also experience domestic violence, but we know from the research that it is mainly women – and children who have to leave the home to escape domestic violence. They then present at a refuge or emergency accommodation. A person is left sitting in the house. There has to be a short period in which people leave to get out of the situation, and I understand that there has to be due process and so on, but should we be doing more to ensure that they can return to that home? They are the people responsible for the children. Ultimately, the children should be entitled to their homes. Will the witnesses from Focus Ireland offer their opinions on such situations?