Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Finding solutions of course should be the priority but the Taoiseach's Government has patently failed to find necessary solutions. Time after time we hear the Taoiseach say that family homelessness and child homelessness is a stain on our society as if he was an observer. The Taoiseach is in government and has been in government for several terms. The Taoiseach needs to ensure that action is taken. If it takes a Bill to ensure that local authorities will make the best interests of the child paramount, then that Bill and legislation should be adopted. I have the scrutiny report here.

The joint committee proposed that the Bill should proceed to the next Stage and that it should be amended in consultation with the drafters. We are very willing to work with the Government to ensure this constructive means of addressing child homelessness is taken up. We certainly express huge solidarity with Micheline Walsh, her family and all those experiencing homelessness.

The reality is, however, that the Government has done too little and is doing it too late to really address the needs of families, older people and children in homelessness. Extending the temporary no-fault eviction ban for a further period would and could have given the Government the breathing space to put in place proper effective measures to address the needs of Micheline and others like her. Instead, we nothing concrete was put in place when the ban was lifted and so many people, unfortunately, like Micheline and her family, are in this void or abyss where they simply have nowhere to go.

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