Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat. Ba mhaith liom tacaíocht a thabhairt don Bhille seo, atá curtha chun cinn ag an Teachta O'Sullivan. Táimid an-bhuíoch di.

In the Taoiseach's world, everything is going just right. That is what the Taoiseach and his Department of spin seem to want us to believe anyway. This entitled Taoiseach has a feckless and dilettante attitude to the most vulnerable in society. He is starting to believe his own propaganda and wants us to believe it too. If we are prepared to be taken in by this spin, then the homeless crisis really is not a crisis - "it is not as bad as it looks, lads". It is more important to the Government that we massage the figures and sweep the shame that is the homelessness crisis under the carpet. It wants to present to the world a different image, one that ignores the realities of everyday life in Ireland and has no place for those left behind during the years of austerity. It is an image that is as false and fake as the Government's effort to end this homelessness crisis.

Fr. Peter McVerry is not talking down this country when he speaks of the homelessness crisis. Neither I nor anyone else who works with the homeless, and sees the effects of homelessness on families, individuals and the community each day, intends to talk down the country. If that is what the Minister genuinely thinks is happening, he should do something about ending this crisis. He should allocate the resources required to end homelessness and divert them away from pet projects that benefit the few, usually the comfortable or well off. It can be as simple as that.

As the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Taoiseach step over the rough sleepers on their way to their respective offices from Dáil Éireann, as they pass the memorials to those homeless who have died a stone's throw from this Chamber, and as Christmas fast approaches, they should know that this is beyond urgent. Something needs to be done about these problems and it is an emergency issue. The Government should put its efforts into ending this crisis and stop trying to silence people. The real problem is the homelessness crisis, not the coverage of it. Hopefully this Bill will help correct an anomaly by recognising the family as a unit and will consolidate and protect the rights of children within the family unit who have unfortunately found themselves homeless. This Bill is but a small step and we support it.

See this speech in context