Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Today, many residents from Tyrrelstown in my constituency of Dublin West protested outside the Dáil and sat in the Gallery. They fear they will be the next families to lose their homes. Last night, I attended a public meeting with Deputies and councillors from other parties in the constituency and canvassed many of the homes involved. The people there fear they will be the next homeless statistic.

According to the statistics, more than 1,800 families were homeless at the beginning of this year. When the children's rights referendum passed in November 2012, the Taoiseach stated it would help make childhood a good, secure and loving space for all our children. This is an incredible claim when we examine the rapidly deteriorating situation today, because homeless children are being denied a proper childhood. I have been contacted by teachers in schools throughout Dublin West, from where two out of every five homeless families come, who tell me of the devastating impact losing a family home has on a child's ability to learn and interact with other pupils.

We must increase rent supplement and end the banks' veto powers on dealing with arrears cases.

I heard the Tánaiste earlier trying to defend her stubborn approach to rent supplement. It has driven the wave of homelessness in this country over the last couple of years and she should be ashamed of her legacy in what she called the Department of Social Protection. We must ensure that NAMA, one of the biggest asset management companies in Europe, delivers more social housing to finally become part of the solution to the housing crisis. A number of options now need to be looked at in the market.

This Government allowed all the assets and distressed property loan books to be swallowed up by big fund buyers. It stopped individuals participating, not allowing any bite-sized opportunities. I see that in my own constituency, with portfolios coming up for sale that have hundreds of apartments in them, as well as big commercial assets. The tenants or housing co-operatives cannot participate and are at the mercy of the buyer, whether that is a long-term investor or whether it is just out to make a turn on a distressed book. That is not a sustainable way to run our housing policy.

These tenants, too, may get swallowed up by big funds, as is happening in Tyrrellstown. This swallowing-up approach to sales by NAMA needs to be stopped. Many of the initiatives proposed by my own party, Fianna Fáil, are eminently achievable and will undo much of the damage caused by five years of inactivity, apathy and incompetence by the outgoing Government in this area. Proper implementation of a real plan can end the wave of homelessness hitting this city and this country, so that the fear and uncertainty facing residents like those in Tyrrellstown do not become commonplace.

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