Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is a scenario which has become far too prevalent. Let us imagine a context where a landlord has issued a notice to quit. Anxiety would set in as the people concerned desperately search for somewhere to live. It may prove impossible, however, to find anywhere affordable. The housing assistance payment, HAP, may not be sufficient to cover the rent of any of those places which are available. The clock will tick down for people in that situation and soon enough they will find themselves homeless. People in such a scenario would then present themselves to their local authority as being homeless and that is a devastating prospect for any family. We should think about that reality and how it feels for any individual or family to be in such a situation.

This has become an all-too-common reality for many of our people. Currently, some 61 families in Galway city have received notices to quit and have presented themselves to city hall as being in need of assistance. These families will experience incredible fear and anxiety during Christmas and great uncertainty about what will happen in the new year. This legislation would give them much relief. These 61 families are in addition to those currently in homeless accommodation. Some 27 families are in homeless hubs, while 53 families are in private emergency accommodation. Therefore, a total of 80 families are facing Christmas without a place to call home. As we know, many people in homeless accommodation are told to look for HAP accommodation. The reality, however, is that there are often no properties available within the limits of the HAP payments. This is an issue which keeps arising in Galway city and this precarious housing situation has been created by this Government and its forebears.

In Galway city, more money has again been allocated this year for homeless emergency services. While this year-on-year increase is needed, it does not address people’s housing needs and the requirement to build more houses. I am pleased to see that the Government is not opposing our legislation. It is fantastic to see cross-party solidarity in bringing forward this legislation based on work done by the Simon Communities of Ireland. However, we need action in this regard. We cannot have a situation where homelessness is discussed in this Chamber each Christmas and people say how terrible it is, only for very little to be done about it and the subject is then discussed again the following year. I hope therefore that this Bill will be the start of a new collaboration between the Government and the Opposition to tackle homelessness.

See this speech in context