Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Some 18 months ago, in September 2017, we woke up to find that there were 2,432 children living in emergency accommodation. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, was asked for a comment. She stated that should be a "wake up call". We found out yesterday that the numbers are 50% higher than that. Has she woken up yet? Has the Government woken up yet? We all know the number one cause of homelessness in this country is eviction from the private rental sector. Solidarity's Anti-Evictions Bill 2018 provides a number of practical remedies for staunching the flow. It aims to ban the sale of property as grounds for eviction. That is law in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. It is supported by Threshold.

Does the Minister, Deputy Zappone, support that? I am asking her a direct question. The Bill would also ban renovation as grounds for eviction. I refer to so-called "renovictions". If these measures had been implemented when the Minister stated we needed to wake up, a year and a half ago, then we would be nowhere near 10,000 homeless at this stage. That is because many of those evictions would have been banned. Does the Minister support this Bill and does she support the practical remedies, such as banning the sale of property as grounds for eviction as supported by Threshold?

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