Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has learned from his Minister how to misread figures because that very same report he quotes tells us more than half of the children who are currently homeless are spending more than one year in emergency accommodation when we combine hotels and hubs. If we take figures from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, it tells us more than 20% of the children in emergency accommodation have spent more than two years in it. The idea that somehow people are moved on within six months is simply misleading the House. To say that since Rebuilding Ireland was produced family homelessness has not increased simply is not true. Since it was launched child homelessness in this State has increased 81%. There are more children today sleeping in emergency accommodation than when this Government was formed. Those are the facts from the Minister's Department.

With respect to increasing supply, the Government is 30% shy of the overall targets for Rebuilding Ireland and its investment in social housing is only half what is required. This plan is not working. The Government is not meeting the needs of people who require social and affordable housing. The motion that will be tabled next week will send a clear signal to the Government that the plan is not working, that the people do not support, and that we want change. That is why everybody on the Opposition benches, including Fianna Fáil, has to make it clear are they on the side of those people in need of social and affordable housing or on the side of a Taoiseach whose head is so firmly buried in the sand he cannot even read reports correctly.

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