Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the true reality of homelessness in this country. The Government’s most recent homeless figures are a smokescreen, as they are not the reality. The official figures do not include rough sleepers, couch surfers and homeless people in hospitals, prisons or domestic violence refuges. People are asking why the Government would just forget about and leave out so many people. The Government only collects data on those who access emergency accommodation. I call on the Taoiseach to publish the true figure for the number of families and individuals who make contact with local authorities on the basis that they consider themselves to be homeless and the outcomes in each case.

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