Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his presentation this morning. I am speaking through the eyes of the child and will be the voice of the child. We often talk about the voice of the child. We have to think back to two Friday nights ago, when we watched "The Late Late Toy Show". In fairness to "The Late Late Toy Show" and Ryan Tubridy, he included children from homeless positions. It is important for anybody listening to the commentary to know that he explained the role of the chimney. He showed that there is a chimney for everybody in this country and how the fireplace was done so that any child living in hotel accommodation or overcrowded accommodation would know how the fireplace was designed so Santa, at this time of year, will be able to come to all children throughout the country, wherever they are living. For that particular night, he gave a great message of hope to all children looking in that no matter where they are, Santa will be able to come to all with that little fireplace.

Ryan Tubridy also made it real for other children, who are fortunate to have their own homes, so they could understand what their friends might be going through. Nobody knows what other people might be going through. He brought a great level of understanding and before the show began last night, I had my own three children and all the neighbours' kids in. We watch "The Late Late Toy Show" every year. I explained at the beginning that Ryan was also going to talk about children who are homeless. My children looked at me and asked me how that could happen and I told them they would understand as the night went on. Ryan Tubridy spoke to a little girl, asking where she lived. She said she lived with her mammy and other sister and he asked who else was in the house. She said granny and granddad. He then asked who else was in the house and then it dawned on the kids in my sitting room that the little girl was living in overcrowded accommodation and did not have her own home, though she was with family. There was a stark realisation, as I think was the case in many houses that night as people made their lists and anticipated Christmas, about what other children would be experiencing.

I am on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs and this week I went with the Chair and other members to visit a family hub. I felt it was important to visit a family hub because sometimes we come in here and give a lot of criticism but I wanted to understand myself what a family hub is.

I am glad that the Minister has acknowledged that a family hub is a first response.

My experience of the family hub was that the people there have what I would call a bedsit, basically, but it is a bedsit they can call their own. They do not have to encounter what Deputy Casey has recounted just now, and he is perfectly right. The people working in Dublin City Council and the homeless areas in Dublin were there to meet us. They explained what they are going to do. They explained that their focus for the coming weeks is on turnover, on helping these people to acquire, hopefully, housing assistance payment rented accommodation and on helping them to fill out the forms.

What was in the hub? There were play areas indoors and outdoors. I have been critical in recent months and since this crisis began. The most important thing that children need is indoor and outdoor play. Children in that situation do not realise that they are any different. To them, that area is their little world.

Anyway, it is important to realise that it is a first response. If we are looking for one solution for children in care, especially those in foster care, then we must look at housing adaptation solutions for those children who are turning 18 years of age.

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