Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the list of issues include the impact of homelessness on children, the children of those families - almost 3,500 - who are homeless in this city and county as well as other urban areas around the country? On 28 June, 1,122 children were in emergency accommodation. I represent dozens of families in that situation, as would the Minister and other Deputies present today. We know from meeting the children of homeless families that they are often very insecure and sometimes distressed. They are unable to get easily to school, to recreation and to other basic facilities. As the Minister will be aware from his constituency, living in hotels and guesthouses often makes it very difficult to have an ordinary child's life.

The Minister mentioned the parallel reports. Two of the organisations, including the Children's Rights Alliance, are focusing on the impact of homelessness on children. Along with some of my staff, I recently met Dr. Niall Muldoon, the Ombudsman for Children, to discuss the impact of homelessness on children. His report states, "The State must address delays in the provision of social housing and ensure that emergency housing support provided to families who are experiencing homelessness is appropriate to children’s needs."

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