Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach said he does not feel there is an acceptable level of homelessness. He cannot have it both ways. He cannot say that on one hand and come in here at 4.40 p.m. and vote to lift an eviction ban which he knows will put significant numbers of people, including children, into homelessness. He cannot have it both ways. The Taoiseach does feel that there is an acceptable level of homelessness and his denials are not convincing or credible.

The Government’s numbers are shrinking. It will be a minority Government if just one more Government Deputy goes overboard. Despite the sell-out by the Regional Group, the Government’s support in this Dáil is shrinking. That is not a very good position to be in and from which to deal with the housing crisis, a cost-of-living crisis and the potential for turmoil in the international banking system. The decision 100 years ago by a government to cut a shilling from the old-age pension and the decision 40 years ago by a government to put VAT on children’s shoes were remembered for decades afterwards with justifiable bitterness. The next election is drawing closer to us and this decision will not be forgiven and, I suspect, it will not be forgotten either.

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