Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that much more needs to be done in the areas mentioned, whether in child mental health services or housing. The rising number of homeless children distresses us all and requires us to focus even more on the work that we do as a Government. One of the major investments we are making in the area of housing other than building houses - and it will be many years before our housing supply is at the correct level - is the investment in family hubs, which helps to reduce the number of children in hotels and bed and breakfasts. I have visited family hubs and spoken to the people who are living there. I have seen the quality of accommodation that is available there. It is, of course, only a temporary, inadequate solution to the problem of child homelessness.

We will continue to invest in family hubs and to reduce the number of people - families in particular - who have to live in hotels and bed and breakfasts, while we do what needs to be done, which is the building of vast amounts of social and affordable housing. The Deputy will know that Project Ireland 2040 provides for 110,000 new homes for social housing tenants to be built over the next ten years.

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