Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I contend that this was not the knowledge of all people and, in fact, the conduct of the Defence Forces would vindicate that. To take the case of one individual, he exited from the forces over 15 years ago, lived in his home for 40 years and, if one likes, he is only now being squeezed, even though he lives there with three generations of his family. The Department may not be a housing authority but it does have a duty of care to former employees and their families. In fact, the individual and humane approach the Department has been taking has involved one woman who has lived there for 27 years, raised her family there and remained living there post a marriage break-up, being given four or five harassment letters and being brought before the courts to be evicted.

I ask the Minister again to explain how much he claims it is costing his Department to keep these people there. My assertion is that they have actually paid, through their own rent, for the upkeep and maintenance. Where is the drain coming from? Could the Department not engage humanely with them in that they have lived there for decades and raised their families? Have they not got the right now to live out the older years of their life or for the Minister to actively assist them in gaining an alternative?

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