Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that. I have the advantage of being in Dublin Central on the northside of the city. We have already provided a very significant amount of emergency homeless accommodation. I believe we provide approximately 70% of such accommodation in the greater Dublin region covered by the four Dublin local authority areas. We have also provided a very significant proportion of the accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine and those seeking international protection. It is right that we, as a State, do this. It is right that the State funds and supports it. However, I question the quality of the experience for those who are seeking refuge.

I have really serious concerns about extending temporary accommodation up until January 2029. To be fair, none of us knows that another extension will not be required between now and January 2029. It would be really helpful if the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth could share its housing strategy with the committee because none of these people qualify to apply to the social housing list in the local authority area in which they are provided with emergency accommodation. They are in temporary emergency accommodation and such accommodation is not fit for purpose for anything beyond meeting very short-term needs. I know that because I see the experience of those availing of it and the experience of the communities where it is being provided. I have real concerns with this. We obviously want to support the Government and to support the State's efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis. The commercial providers have commercial imperatives. We have more than that. As a committee, we cannot allow an extension up until January 2029 to be given without having something on the other side of that discussion that speaks to a strategy for integration and actually escaping traumatic experiences and beginning to rebuild lives. We need the Department to come before us with that strategy.

I support all of the other issues around enforcement. I have been dealing with Dublin City Council on a number of issues. Building control and fire safety are important. It is great that everybody gets involved in trying to respond to the issue but we have the highest commercial vacancy rate in Dublin in decades. Approximately 15% of office space is vacant. There is a lot of opportunity to turn offices into homes. I do not mean temporary bunk beds, which really should not be used as accommodation for more than a matter of weeks. I do not know if the Minister of State can respond to that. I really do appreciate that this is not solely within his remit.