Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank our witnesses for the information they have given us. I have a couple issues that I want to touch on. I want to talk about child poverty. I wish that I did not have to as I am sure the witnesses wish they did not have to discuss it continually either. In terms of those at risk or living below the poverty line, according to the Social Justice Ireland briefing, some 630,000 people are living below the poverty line, of which 190,000 are children. As we know, some 5,000 of those children are homeless. We are talking about the poorest of the poor.

This question is directly to Simon Communities of Ireland. I refer to the causes of homelessness in general. On the value of the tenant in situ scheme and the manner in which it has been cut, I have correspondence from Fingal County Council informing me that 60 tenant in situ purchases were paused at the beginning of the year and they have now been told that they will not continue. Sixty families were told they were in the tenant in situ process and believed they were not at risk of homelessness. They have now lost valuable time looking for accommodation that does not exist. Can I get Ms Grogan's view on the tenant in situ scheme and on other supports to prevent homelessness? I am not aware of any other homelessness prevention measures in place. I think it is the only one. What impact will the funding being withheld have on homeless children specifically?