Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last November, there were 13,514 people in emergency accommodation across this State comprising children, young people, families, single people, people with full-time jobs and even a cohort of our elderly people, all with no home to call their own. It is estimated that the real figure is well above that, given the number of people in hostels and rough sleeping, never mind those who are couch surfing or living in overcrowded conditions with family and friends. The trend is only going one way.

We see these figures increasing from year to year, despite being constantly told that progress is being made. It seems that the Government's definition of progress has a completely different meaning from everyone else's understanding of the word.

Since this Government took office, homelessness is up by 61% and child homelessness is up by 74%. Last week we debated the bulk purchasing of new homes by investment funds that are then renting these homes for ridiculous sums of money. Since the Government introduced measures in 2021, some 1,200 homes have been snapped up by these funds and this is also driving rents up. People have no choice but to fork out most of their income on rent. When they cannot pay that kind of money, they end up homeless and around and around it goes. To me, that is a definition of failure, not a definition of progress.

The Minister and his Government need to support this motion. They need to support it for the 4,105 children they have already failed who will be sleeping in emergency accommodation tonight.

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