Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Ó Broin mentioned a number of reports published by NGOs in recent weeks. Quite a few NGOs working in the housing and homelessness sector have published their annual reports in recent weeks. These reports are very useful and help add to our understanding of homelessness and the impact it has on those who experience it. The Deputy mentioned the Respond report, for example. One thing that report points out is that the average stay in a family hub is six months. Yes, for various reasons some families may end up in emergency accommodation for a prolonged period, and I accept that six months is six months too long, but this is very different from the narrative that suggests that the majority of people in homelessness are growing up in or spending years in homelessness.

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