Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, friends and classmates of Max Wall and Andrew O'Donnell. I simply cannot imagine the unbearable sense of loss, tragedy and devastation being felt by their families and friends. I also extend all my sympathy to the St. Michael's school community who have to bear this terrible loss.

Does the Taoiseach think we owe a State apology to families who are homeless through no fault of their own, and children who are now homeless in record numbers and are living in emergency accommodation? These are children and infants who, in many cases, do not have the room to crawl, or cannot bring a friend over for a sleepover or bring home friends to play. Many are showing delays in their development or are embarrassed to tell their friends and classmates that they are living in emergency accommodation and are homeless. What we are doing to children in these circumstances is abuse and neglect by the State; is that not a fair comment? Do they deserve an apology and some sort of urgency on the part of the State? In many cases, these are people who for several years now, as I have told the Taoiseach, have been living in these conditions with absolutely no prospect of being given a place to live.

See this speech in context