Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government has repeatedly reaffirmed its belief Rebuilding Ireland is working. I entirely disagree. The example given by Deputy Brady outlines the position. To give the Minister an insight, the Cork Simon emergency shelter has been full every night for the past two months. Last week all 47 beds were full, with nine additional persons on the floor and in sofa spaces and 17 on mattresses on the floor of the day service next door. In a particular week in December there were 373 adults in emergency accommodation. Cork Simon states there has been no let up. The emergency accommodation crisis is getting worse and worse. I believe it is time the Minister reconsidered the Government's position on confining social housing provision to small-scale projects. That is part of the solution.

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