Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the staff in Limerick who work in this area, both those in the council and those in the services. The Minister referenced three projects, St. Patrick's Hostel, McGarry House and Thomond House. I am familiar with all three but none of them houses families or children so they will not address the issue I am raising. The Minister will launch the review of the regeneration project in Limerick on Friday and, while I do not want to pre-empt its findings, I can declare that the programme, specifically in the case of housing, has not been a success. It has been a failure and has not delivered the houses that were supposed to be delivered. Over 1,000 houses have been demolished and less than a quarter of them have been replaced, which has contributed to the housing crisis in Limerick.

I also commend the homeless action team because my constituency office deals with them every single day. There is a shortage of suitable accommodation for families and single people and I ask the Minister of State to ask the Minister what specifically he will do to ensure no family or children in Limerick are without a home over the Christmas period. Last week I extended an invitation to the Minister to come and visit the Long Pavement Traveller site while he is in Limerick, or that he does so on another occasion if he cannot do it this time, because families are living there in a state in which one would not put an animal.

It must be sorted out. As we speak, there are families who do not have heating in the weather we are experiencing now. They told me they would watch this debate. I hope the Minister of State can address some of these questions.

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