Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

In the current circumstances, when we look at all the pressures on housing, including the issue of homeless people being at a higher risk and the problems with mortgage arrears and the private rented sector, I do not think we could have more clarity that we need to develop strongly alternative models to housing provision beyond the private and for-profit sector. That is why it is critical that we use State land and publicly-owned land only for public housing, be it affordable purchase, cost rental or social housing, given the massive deficits we have in housing provision in those areas. I do not think that could be clearer at this current point.

I want to commend everyone working on the front line in homeless organisations, who have been doing fantastic work in the last few months in supporting some of our most vulnerable. There have been some very good results as a consequence of that work.

I want to put five questions and I will first ask two of them, get a response and then ask the remainder. The first concerns people who are homeless. What is the plan of the Government for homeless people in the coming weeks and months? As restrictions are lifted, what approaches will be taken and what measures will be put in place to protect homeless people living on the streets, who will be particularly vulnerable as they will come in contact with more people? Given the large number of people in the private rented sector who have lost their jobs and are at risk of homelessness in the future, what action is the Government taking to address this?

Second, in regard to overcrowding, it is abundantly clear that people living in overcrowded accommodation are at a higher risk of contracting Covid-19. Dr. Lucy Michael has reported that nearly 100 people living in one direct provision centre have tested positive for the virus and there is substantial evidence from Dr. Jack Lambert of clusters of infection among people living in overcrowded accommodation, including in Dublin's north inner city. In the private rented sector, where a number of people are living in a house, for example, a healthcare worker could test positive and be taken out of the accommodation and put into quarantine, which is all good. However, the other housemates, who may be working in other sectors, are left there and are not tested because they are not working in the healthcare system, leaving them exposed to risk, along with the people they are coming into contact with. It is clear there needs to be systematic testing for high-risk groups, including people living in overcrowded accommodation. What action has the Minister taken to ensure there will be testing available for people living in overcrowded accommodation?

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