Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I notice in the Government amendment to the motion that the Minister and Minister of State commend themselves for the high priority they have afforded the housing crisis. If it has been a matter of priority in their own heads that has not been evident to the rest of us.

In the course of this debate people have set out, based on their constituencies and experiences, the grinding misery experienced by so many citizens. Some of them are rough sleepers, they are the most visible of our homeless population. The misery is also real for people without a roof over their head or a home to call their own, couch-hoppers, staying with family or friends, very often with large families of children in grossly over-crowded conditions. That is the case in my constituency.

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I have lost count of the number of people who have come to my clinic - I am sure other clinics are no different - with tales of sleeping in box rooms with young babies and one, two or three other children. The consequences of being crammed into such conditions can be very serious for families and small children. The Minister and the Minister of State have said they are attaching a high priority to meeting the housing needs of such people. I do not think they are. The Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, said there are "no shortcuts" in finding solutions.

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