Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The sad deaths of two men in less than 24 hours underline the scale of the challenge we face in housing. With their passing and their loss to their friends of families, it is not a time, obviously, for political point scoring. I express my condolences to those who have felt their loss.

It is, however, another call to action to get to grips with the housing crisis. Their passing represents a moral challenge to this House and to the Government. The stakes in this housing crisis could not be higher. It is an immense ethical and economic task. That challenge demands clear concerted action. A Housing First approach is the best mechanism to resolve long-term homelessness. Wraparound services that recognise and deal with the complex needs of people affected by homelessness is the only viable long-term solution. The Government must get bricks and mortar on the ground to deliver the houses that are badly needed to support such an approach.

A number of steps can be taken in the short term to alleviate the crisis that is scouring our cities and towns. Housing charities engaged on the streets in helping those affected have proposed a series of ideas to avoid the tragedies we have seen in the past few days. The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, should get moving on addressing those ideas, such as out-of-hours response in local authorities, dedicated contact and a formal count of rough sleepers.

Ultimately we need to redouble our efforts to ensure the targets in Rebuilding Ireland are achieved. The repercussions of a lack of supply are felt most severely by those least able to bear it. The sad events of recent days must serve to underline how addressing supply is the key objective. The Government will ultimately be judged on that. I hope the Minister of State can set out what immediate steps he is taking on these issues.

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