Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

With no disrespect to the Minister of State, I was hoping the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, would have been here. I listened to him yesterday morning on the radio making the point that 4,400 families were homed permanently over the last period of the pandemic and it will be 6,000 next year. That 4,400 families were found homes during the pandemic was precisely because of the number of former Airbnb properties that came into the system on foot of the fall in travelling and tourism. We will not have that next year.

Where is the Minister going to get 6,000 homes to move people from homelessness into homes? If they are rented homes, they are not permanent as the landlords can remove people from those homes if they need to.

The whole question of the eviction ban during the pandemic should be looked at. In August, when it finished, 13 families in Dublin became homeless for the first time in the private rental market. We will see more of this happening if we do not put an eviction ban in place. Will the Minister seriously consider this?

Three people were told last night by homeless services in Dublin city that they were not entitled to accommodation when beds were available. They had to sleep rough last night in Baltic weather. That was just absolutely horrendous. We cannot allow this to happen. We had the same situation five years ago when Jonathan Corrie died across the road from here, while many others have died in between. We have always raised our voices in horror and concern but it still happens. Last year, it was 36 people. This year already it is 59 people and we have not really hit the winter season. I am expecting the Minister to step up to the plate now. His honeymoon period is over and he must show how he will deal with this question. Shelters are not just for winter or for Christmas. Accommodation is for life.

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