Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

There are now 14,864 people living in emergency homeless accommodation. This includes 4,510 children who are growing up without a home. Almost every month the numbers climb higher, but record levels of homelessness are now so commonplace that these numbers no longer seem to shock. They rarely appear on the front pages of newspapers. This is because the numbers do not tell the stories of the thousands of people whose lives are being damaged and destroyed.

Last night, thanks to some excellent public-service journalism by Katie Hannon, we heard some of those distressing stories. Chloe Coffey is living in homeless hub with her four-year-old son Jackson. Jackson has complex medical needs. He has already had two surgeries and a third is planned to take place in a month. If nothing changes, Jackson will have open heart surgery and will then be discharged back to the hub in question. There are 300 people, including 220 children, living in this hub. It is clearly not a suitable place for a very sick child to live. Why are Chloe and her son trapped there?

Lisa is living in the same hub, Houben House Family Hub, with her four children, who are aged between nine months and seven years. Lisa is extremely concerned about the mental health impacts on her children. Their attendance at school has already been impacted. She is afraid that they will get depressed.

The homeless crisis is a national scandal. Children and families are not just spending short periods in these hubs; some can be there for up to four years. The damage this is doing, especially to children, is enormous and can be lifelong. Instead of improving, the situation is getting worse. Where is the urgency to address this?

Two of the families featured in last night's programme were made homeless when they were evicted from private rental accommodation. We know that this is the biggest cause of homelessness. In the midst of this crisis, however, the Government will not improve security for renters.

Can the Taoiseach explain why a child who is scheduled for open heart surgery is living in a homeless hub? What can he say to the thousands of families in emergency homeless accommodation, some of whom have been there for years? What is the Government doing to address this disaster? Will it bring Ireland into line with other European countries by introducing a ban on no-fault of evictions?

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