Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will begin by supporting Deputy Ward's call for an end to self-accommodation. It is one of the most difficult aspects of homelessness for children. There are almost 4,000 homeless children in the country and the idea that they do not know where they will be from one night to the next is appalling. During last night's no confidence debate I referred to a study conducted by the Royal College of Physicians which describes the negative effects of homelessness on young children. It is really heart rending but the situation is even worse for those whose families are self-accommodating. In that context, I published the Housing (Homeless Families) Bill some time ago which went through pre-legislative scrutiny at committee. The committee wrote to me to say that it was recommending that the Bill would proceed. The Minister was given five weeks to respond to that recommendation and give his views on proceeding with the Bill. It is my understanding that the five-week period is nearly up. While it is not going to solve all of the problems of homeless families, it does address the fact that at the moment children are treated as dependent on adults. There is no recognition in law of the rights of children who are homeless. They are simply treated as dependants of homeless adults. If that Bill was enacted, the practice of self-accommodation for families would have to stop. Indeed, other measures like sending families to Garda stations, which happened in Dublin, would also have to stop. It is a small measure but it could make a real difference to the lives of children. The Bill has been through Second Stage in this House and is with the committee. It cannot be moved forward until such time as the Minister responds. I ask the Minister of State to revert to me with information on the status of the Bill.

There are now more than 10,500 people in homelessness. In my own region of the mid-west, an additional 42 people are listed as homeless in Clare and Limerick, 21 of whom are children. I know some of the families involved and some are large families. I have made the point in previous debates that we must start to provide accommodation for larger families because a lot of the children who are in homelessness are from such families. It does not matter how homes are sourced, only that they are found for larger families in order to get those children out of homelessness. It is difficult enough being homeless with one or two children but homelessness with four or five children must be absolutely horrendous.

Not enough is being done in respect of vacant homes.

There are still many vacant homes around the country. Although there are vacant homes officers in local authorities, many of them have other roles within the housing departments in addition to trying to activate vacant homes. In Britain, there is far more focus on finding out who owns vacant homes and getting them back into use. That needs to be done here. Many empty residential properties are in private ownership. I established the very successful voids scheme in local authorities when I was Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, but there remain many vacant privately owned home. In some cases, there may be issues relating to the fair deal scheme that need to be addressed such that it is possible for families who have a relative in a nursing home to allow the person's property to be rented out. That needs attention because it is an opportunity that is not being taken.

I refer to the issue of using public land. I do not have with me the Labour Party policy document entitled Affordable Homes for All, but I presume the Minister of State has read it.

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