Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to discuss the issue of children. We have had appalling examples of mistreatment of children in the past. We had the Magdalen laundries, the industrial schools and mother and baby homes. We have seen abuse in families, by members of the clergy and in swimming circles. The children involved were deprived of innocence, laughter and fun, all of which should be associated with childhood. We have had commissions, reports and inquiries. While life is better for the majority of children today, I can guarantee that in 20, 30 or 40 years time we will have reports, inquiries and commissions to deal with the way certain children are treated today. I am talking about children in homeless and direct provision accommodation.

We are told that one third of all asylum seekers in those conditions are children. They can be there for anything between one and seven years. The recent first quarter report by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive was disturbing. While there is movement out of homelessness, there is an increase in the number of people becoming homeless. For example, there has been a 62% increase in the number of children in homeless services since June.

Neither set of children is living in a natural family environment. There are issues around safety, living in confined spaces and food, given the fact that the children are reliant on fast food with high fat content levels. We know of the country's difficulties with obesity. There is no space to play and there is a lack of stability, as the children are being moved from one homeless accommodation to another. More displacement is expected because we are approaching the high tourism season.

There are also issues with schools. Either children must travel long distances to their original schools or they must move schools. One can imagine a child entering a new school, being asked where he or she lives and replying that it is in the bed and breakfast or hotel down the road. There is a stigma. We are storing up severe psychological, emotional and personal developmental difficulties for these children.

Recently, the Children's Rights Alliance awarded the Government a C on the question of children. Two days ago, the European Commission repeated its call for Government action on child poverty and child care. Will the issue of homelessness, particularly as it relates to children in inappropriate settings, be viewed as an emergency of great urgency before more damage is done to the children of this country?

See this speech in context