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

The Taoiseach has said in recent days that homelessness is heavily impacted by the fact that many people are seeking asylum and protection here. This is wrong and I want to express my concern about the language. What is impacting most heavily on homelessness is Government policy and the Government's failure to provide enough homes for people. That needs to be acknowledged by Government Ministers.

As the Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, rightly pointed out, asylum seekers are not counted in official homelessness figures and are not entitled to HAP or other housing supports. People leaving direct provision who have status represent just a small cohort of those entering homelessness. We need a debate on housing but I think we and particularly Cabinet Ministers need to be careful in a debate on housing not to conflate migration issues with homelessness issues, and not to pass blame for homelessness figures - the appalling figure of 4,401 children in homelessness - or suggest in some way that is attributable to inward migration rather than to Government policy.

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