Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Taoiseach is here. This is my second time to raise this issue in the Dáil. I raised it in the Taoiseach's absence with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and have written to her. It is really serious. Deputy Kelly raised it in the context of Borrisokane. I am raising it in respect of Galway. An eviction notice has been served on those who have been in accommodation for two or three years, embedded in the community. I know the local school. There are any number of families with eviction notices for various times in July. The one in particular I am thinking about is for Friday. This is a family who have been moved three times. They have finally embedded in the community. They do huge voluntary work. I could go on forever about the amount of work they do.

This is cruel, inhuman and unacceptable. A battle seems to be going on between the Department of housing and the Department of children, with one trying to push the other to do something. To think eviction notices are being served on families in this manner, telling them to get emergency accommodation in Galway, where there is absolutely none. We have a waiting list of up to 20 years. No housing assistance payment, HAP, premises are available. These are not my words; it is according to the Simon Community. This inhumanity has to stop and the decision must be reversed.

See this speech in context