Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 20 September 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Dublin Regional Homless Executive

9:30 am

Photo of Mick BarryMick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I only have the one question. It is on the issue of hubs. I want to briefly read into the record some quotes because the quotes in the report are really interesting and important and it is important the voice of the people in the hubs is heard. The researchers were told by various parents that they felt their parenting was being checked all the time, that they got warnings, that the hubs felt like institutions, that they did not need their authority taken away from them in front of their children, that they were taking the parenting role from the parent and that when someone spoke to them like this, they feel they are on the bottom.

The hub at Clonliffe Road has been mentioned more than once in this discussion. My first question is whether the witnesses feel there is a possibility of so-called good, showcase hubs being promoted whereas the reality in other hubs is quite different. On the question of a sunset clause, would Ms Gleeson and Ms Hurley comment on reports and information that we have that the State is in negotiation with owners of buildings to get those buildings for hubs and what is being discussed is five-year leases.