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

On "Morning Ireland" earlier we heard reaction to the new Government plans for those fleeing Putin's brutal war in Ukraine. We heard from Olga, a Ukrainian refugee living here and from Emma Lane Spollen of the Ukraine Civil Society Forum. They expressed really serious concern at the proposal a 90-day limit be applied for accommodating new arrivals from Ukraine in the new year. We all understand these concerns are justified. No one needs reminding, as the RTB report did today, that the private rental sector is totally overwhelmed. There are metres-long queues for house viewings for rentals, and we hear stories all the time in our constituencies about people being forced to bid on rental properties and being unable to find any rental properties in their area. Already 6,000 people who have attained refugee status are stuck in direct provision because they cannot access private rental accommodation. What contingencies is the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and his Government putting in place to ensure we do not see more children winding up homeless-----

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