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

Recently, I accompanied the Dublin homeless outreach team when it visited homeless people who were sleeping on the streets of Dublin. I met homeless people who told me that they felt safer sleeping on our streets than in private emergency accommodation. I raised with the Taoiseach previously that the National Quality Standards Framework, NQSF, is not applied to private providers of emergency accommodation. When I raised it with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the Dáil, he incorrectly stated that it was being applied. Afterwards, Mr. Brendan Kenny of Dublin City Council confirmed to the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage that that was not the case. Subsequently, the Minister gave national media interviews where he again insisted that the NQSF was being applied to private providers. This is a serious issue. Some private providers have been operating without fire certificates and a range of matters need to be addressed. For example, there is a lack of independent inspections. "RTÉ Investigates" has also confirmed that the NQSF is not applied to private providers. I have with me copies of reports from Dublin City Council confirming that. I am happy to show and go through them with the Taoiseach or the Minister.

When will the Government act to ensure that private emergency accommodation for homeless people is safe and up to standard so that people who are sleeping on our streets can avail of it? When will the Government ensure that the NQSF is applied to all providers, including private ones?

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