Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

I thank the other Members for their contributions. In response to Deputy Barrett's comments, we are on Report Stage and there is no other chance to table an amendment, so perhaps the Minister might instruct local authority managers by means of a directive to ensure that the circular is issued to Oireachtas Members.

There are a number of points to be addressed, but the critical one is this: if we do not have a definition for a problem, how do we know when we have solved it? It is a goal shared by everybody on all sides of the House to eradicate the problem of homelessness rather than merely dealing with it. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, the inclusion of a reference to domestic violence in the definition of homelessness arises from the enactment of the Domestic Violence Act 1996. The development of this Act was on one simple premise - that we must have a definition of domestic violence - and out of that definition of domestic violence a whole series of new legislation was created.

I do not accept the Minister's response that the existing definition as included in the legislation is inadequate. A series of reviews of this legislation seem to be taking place concurrently, but the place for reviews is in legislation. I do not know when we will see another Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill before the House - it could be in a couple of months' time or in a couple of years - so now is the opportune moment to deal with it. The amendment was drawn up in consultation with the MakeRoom campaign and the stakeholders have been included. It is not simply that the amendment is acceptable; it deserves to be included in the Bill. Thus, I am pressing the amendment.

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