Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

That is after eight and a half years of Government led by the Taoiseach. Accommodation does hold the key to the future of Travelling people's health, education, employment and particularly the children's future. What hope do Travelling people have in regard to obtaining accommodation, when yesterday the Minister of State with responsibility for housing could not tell Deputy Gilmore how many people were on housing waiting lists around the country, let alone the situation of Travellers? Can the Taoiseach be specific in stating what Government action will be taken to speed up the provision of appropriate accommodation and to put those State agencies, to which he referred, in emergency mode to deal with the issues of developing skills and gaining employment?

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