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

I will do my level best to try to do so. No one is operating with any degree of ignorance here. I assure the Deputy of that. I have already answered on the issue of homeless deaths.

On local connection, the Deputy did raise this issue in the Dáil previously. This process was changed and that did not just happen just on foot of what the Deputy had said. I announced the change on 7 December and issued an instruction to all local authorities, not just those in Dublin, in a letter dated 9 December. Local connection is not a barrier to anybody accessing emergency accommodation. I chair a homelessness task force with our homelessness partners and agencies, including Depaul, the Simon Communities of Ireland, Focus Ireland, the Dublin Regional Housing Executive and others. I recently visited homeless facilities in Limerick and Waterford where real progress is being made. Let us put this in context. I am saying that the local connection is not a barrier. I know the Deputy wants to come in but he might let me answer the question. If he just wants to speak, then I cannot answer.

On homeless services, let us recognise the fact that the homelessness rate is down nearly 19% year on year, which is welcome. Child and family homelessness is down nearly 40% year on year. We will publish our quarterly report tomorrow and it will show that there has been a further reduction, which is to be welcomed. We commend those who are working in the sector and assisting us in finding permanent solutions for people and getting them out of homelessness.

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