Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not wish to be argumentative with the Minister of State about the figures but the figure he quoted is simply not correct. There are more than ten rough sleepers in Cork at night. That is a fact. I am aware that the Simon Community has opened a facility and I have said that it is working at capacity. The city council is doing everything possible. I am not criticising anybody but it is simply not true to say that there is an emergency bed available for every rough sleeper in Cork city. If that was the case, we would not have people sleeping on the streets.

I am aware, from personal experience, that some individuals who may be able to avail of a bed choose not to do so for personal reasons. If somebody has come out of addiction and is clean that person will be very slow go into an environment where there is drug use. I agree that it is necessary not just to make beds available but to examine the types of beds being made available. We cannot continue to state that there is a bed for everyone who wishes to avail of one because it simply is not true. The Minister of State can visit Cork on any night. We are discussing people who are rough sleepers tonight, but I know people who are homeless and are squatting. They are in a building at night and have some type of roof over their heads, but they are still homeless. If they are kicked out of the squat for some reason - and the majority of the squats are run down, dilapidated buildings - they will end up on the streets that night.

I ask the Minister of State to meet the agencies in Cork because the figures he is being given are not correct.

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