Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

3 o’clock

On Friday we had another very depressing sense of déjà vuin respect of family homelessness when the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage reported that we are now back to pre-pandemic levels of homelessness, with more than 10,000 people in emergency accommodation, nearly 3,000 of whom are children. This is the sharpest edge of the housing crisis that has been created, perpetuated and presided over by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Make no mistake, this scandal is of the Government's making. It consistently fails to provide an adequate level of real social housing, refuses to address the problems in the private rental sector and also refuses to introduce rigorous protections against eviction. It is now time to see sense. I do not know what will shame this Government into action, if these figures and almost children 3,000 children in homelessness do not. People are sick of kids growing up in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. When will we see sense? When will we see the Government take the actions that will work to address this crisis?

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