Mr. Pat Dennigan:

The efforts particularly through the pandemic have been huge. We can see that in the numbers. The numbers of children living in emergency accommodation reduced from a high of 3,873 in September 2019 to 2,129 last July. It is no coincidence that last July was the last time that the Covid restrictions on the housing market were lifted. The numbers have increased slowly but steadily since then to 2,344. There is no doubt that through the pandemic the way local authorities, the HSE, various NGOs, agencies like Tusla and other Departments pulled together in an emergency had a huge effect on the numbers and on homelessness. The overall numbers, including children and adults, came down from more than 10,500 to just over 8,000 in roughly the same period. We need to learn from that effort, commitment and partnership and continue it right through what is just a different crisis. The crisis that we are working in now is the crisis of homelessness. The plan to eradicate homelessness by 2030 is something we all want to achieve. If we all work together with that same commitment we can achieve it but we need to start now and ensure we are putting the building blocks in place as well as the small wins that will build and amplify as we get to 2030. We need to put that in place right now.