Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, the Minister does not recognise that there is a serious homelessness crisis. The figure of 10,398 does not include a significant number of other people who are also homeless. Thousands of people couch surf. They are living at home or on relatives' couches and floors. There are additional thousands in that category alone. There is also a situation where thousands of individuals and families neither qualify for the local authority housing lists nor for a mortgage. They are not included in these figures. They find themselves in the unenviable position where they have to rent for the rest of their lives at very significant rental costs. Rents, as we know, have rocketed in recent years. Thousands of families and individuals in that category are not shown in any figures, and those people are put to the pin of their collar to survive. The Minister should fund the local authorities to build significant numbers of houses - a minimum of 10,000 - on an ongoing basis to solve this problem.

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