Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A priority for me and for this Government is to continue the fight against homelessness. That is the reason we have put unprecedented resources into that particular area. Thankfully, even since early April this year, we have seen a continued reduction in both family and singles homelessness and in respect of children. That is a trend we want to continue. That is the reason we need to ramp up exits from homelessness. So far this year we have had more than 4,300 exits from homelessness and we are targeting 6,000 for next year. It is a job we have got to tackle. Where the Deputy is talking about funding for day services, no one is being turned away. When people move to Dublin from other areas of the country, there are issues about the way that is managed. I get the point the Deputy is making but it is important that we know there is emergency bed capacity in every city and every region in the country. The winter plan is in place. There is additional capacity, and I check that every single week. I hope we get to a stage where we do not need those types of facilities, which I have visited. There is capacity right now for people in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and all our major cities so no one, with the assistance of the State, should be sleeping rough. There are facilities in place for them.

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