Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are discussing this motion that has been put forward by my colleague, an Teachta Ó Broin, whom I wish to thank, not only for this motion but for all the work he does on behalf of people who are really living at the business end of the Minister's policies and what he, his party and his pals in government have done to the housing market. The housing market is almost broken beyond repair. I agree with an Teachta Ó Broin about the need to remove this Government from office, if that is what it is going to take, because it will not listen and do the right thing.

I want to address remarks the Minister made on the Gavin Reilly show. I will read out an extract from a statement issued by Fingal Communities Against Racism, which is a very active group in our constituency that does a huge amount of good work. The statement said the Minister's "claims that a recent increase in homelessness is partly driven by the arrival of 'economic migrants', is a deliberate attempt to distract from his own government's failure to address the housing crisis". The group is spot on and I 100% agree with it. I sincerely hope the Minister takes the opportunity to walk back those remarks he made because they were wrong and hurtful. The Minister knows what they were. He knows exactly what a dog whistle is. He knows exactly what he was doing. I hope that he will take the opportunity to walk back those remarks.

The Minister and I share a constituency. I have two offices - one in Balbriggan and one in Swords. I do not hold a single clinic in which I do not see someone coming in with a notice to quit. Most recently, a couple in their 70s came in, and I will not say where they live because they would be mortified, who are a tiny little bit over the income limit. They do not qualify for housing supports. They are on a notice to quit. They cannot find anywhere they can afford to live, and they are in their 70s. There is indignity in dealing with this at any stage in a person's life but particularly after a lifetime of work.

I am dealing with another case of a woman in her 60s who is sleeping in her car. She cannot get anywhere to rent. She is terrified of going into a hostel because of what she has heard and seen. We have nothing else to offer her. She cannot find anything that she can afford. This woman is working. She is lucky that she can find somewhere to get a shower in the morning, but she does not have anywhere to sleep. That is what has happened. That did not happen because of economic migrants or anything else. That happened because of the Government's housing policy. That is the result. I urge the Minister to engage with the substance of this motion and listen to what an Teachta Ó Broin said, pick up and take on board the positive solutions that have been offered to him this evening and implement them.

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