Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government targets are too low, they are not being met and the consequence is that social housing need is rising. In fact, trying to outdo the Taoiseach for misrepresentation of the facts, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, told us last week that social housing need had miraculously shrunk by 36% in a decade. What he actually means is they have moved people from social housing waiting lists onto housing assistance payments, HAP, and social housing has increased during that period.

What is the consequence of all of this? Darragh O'Brien, as the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, has presided over a 40% increase in homelessness and a 56% increase in child homelessness. That is the single biggest increase in child homelessness under any Minister in decades. Deputy O'Brien is the Minister for Homelessness, and shame on him.

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