Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Coppinger is absolutely right. All the issues she identifies are very distressing for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, but also just as a human being and a citizen of this country.

I referred to some of this in an earlier question, but I have already had a number of meetings and conversations with many of the non-governmental organisations in this area, especially in respect of children in emergency accommodation and hotels. I am aware that often the children in the hotels are away from their schools and that causes a problem. Families also do not have the facilities to cook. As we approach the summer months, one of our great concerns is that hotel accommodation may not even be available because of what is going on in terms of the tourism industry.

As I said earlier, I have gathered a number of people already to discuss this. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I are beginning to work on a plan specifically to address children who are homeless. In the next couple of weeks I will gather the stakeholders again to identify short-term measures as well as beginning to plan for medium-term measures to ensure children are cared for in that context.

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