Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As temperatures fall below freezing this week, the plight of our homeless citizens, particularly those forced to sleep on the streets, takes on an even sharper focus. Today, there is a day-long protest outside the Dáil organised by My Name Is, and I commend all those involved. They are holding this protest because they care and because the Government is refusing to take the necessary actions to end this scourge on our society.

Homelessness in this State is now at emergency levels. It is an alarming reality that over 8,000 of our citizens, including in excess of 3,000 children, are homeless as Christmas approaches. Eight people have died on our streets since August and that is not acceptable by any standard, any measure or statistic or any report - national or international - that the Taoiseach may reference. Imagine being without a home at any time. Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin, mar a deirtear sa Ghaeilge, go háirithe le linn aimsir na Nollag. Imagine not having a home or even a stable at Christmas. There are parts of this State where there are no emergency beds and no facilities that are suitable for some of our citizens who are forced to sleep on the streets.

The Taoiseach often claims that no one in this Dáil has a monopoly on compassion and that is true. There are also complexities to all of this. However, there is nothing as complex as the issues a homeless person faces in the struggles of his or her daily life. Results count, Taoiseach. The Taoiseach leads the Government. A truly compassionate Government would implement compassionate policies that would make a real difference to the lives of homeless citizens.

The Housing Agency has been offered 1,800 vacant, turnkey-condition homes to purchase in the past year by banks, funds and other sources. They could be bought and families could move into them immediately but, of these 1,800 homes, the Government has agreed to buy only 600. I accept that perhaps not all of the homes are suitable but it is hard to believe that 1,200 are unsuitable. I do not believe the Government thinks that there is a housing emergency. If it did believe, it would not waste any opportunity to house citizens. People are dying on the streets and children are spending their childhoods in emergency accommodation, while families are losing hope on housing waiting lists. Can the Taoiseach explain to the Dáil why the Government is purchasing only 600 of the 1,800 homes on offer? Can he also explain why it has taken so long to purchase and allocate to families the homes it has bought? What is he going to do to ensure that no citizen is forced to sleep on the streets?

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