Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I speak to families who have children with special needs or additional needs. For them to commute long distances, and for any child to commute a long distance, can be very distressing. We speak about trauma. The witnesses spoke about having a trauma-informed approach when dealing with families and people entering homelessness. Is this something they are building on? I know from myself and my staff, and where I was when I became a TD four years ago and when I was a councillor, the level of homelessness is different now.

I know of a family that is being contacted and is overstaying. There are eight members of the family and they are concerned they will be split up if they go into emergency accommodation. We know there is a shortage of four-bedroom and five-bedroom accommodation. Is this something the witnesses can deal with? The family I mentioned is overstaying because it cannot access suitable emergency accommodation.