Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to introduce the Homeless Prevention Bill. I am sure all across this city and in towns across the State, there are many families who have received the news that they have dreaded, that their tenancy is being terminated, will not be renewed, and that they are being evicted. For many, with the rising costs of rents and the lack of accommodation, this means that they are at very serious risk of becoming homeless. The last thing any of us want to see is anybody becoming homeless. That is why we need to give more protection to tenants. In cases where a person has been given a notice to quit and is on the verge of homelessness, we would have supports in place to ensure that the local authority is obliged to work with them. It is ridiculous that we currently see families who present themselves as homeless being told to come back in a few weeks when they have no roof over their head, and then the local authority will deal with them. This is totally unacceptable. Not only that, but we also have a situation where young people leaving a detention facility or people leaving hospital after a long stay or suffering from mental illness may need particular supports in place before they leave their care settings. This Bill is about giving a legal definition of a person at risk of homelessness. It is about ensuring that there is a plan in place before a person becomes homeless. It also aims to give the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and local authorities the power to work with those at risk of homelessness before they are out on the street.

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