Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

If such a right were in the Constitution or in legislation, it would be possible to go into court and argue and advocate for people who are homeless, something that is precluded at the moment. What is the Minister's own view on this? What does he think about the proposition, as the Minister with responsibility for housing? Is this an issue on which he is prepared to take the lead? Generally, we have seen political leadership on some of the other matters to which he has referred. The Minister may not be in favour of a general constitutional right to housing but given the fact that more than 4,000 children are in emergency accommodation, with thousands more living in overcrowded accommodation, would he at least favour a constitutional amendment to give children a right to housing?

There has been strong criticism from, for example, the Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Ms Emily Logan, who has stated that homelessness is an acute denial of the human rights of children.

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