Seanad debates

Wednesday, 15 November 2006

7:00 pm

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I thank Senator Cummins for sharing time with me and I congratulate the Labour Party for putting down this motion. I am disappointed that the Government has chosen to produce a self-congratulatory amendment when there was no need to do so.

Today I read the report for 2005 by the Tallaght Homeless Advice Unit. A total of 346 new clients used its service, which is an increase of 111% of the previous year. It demolishes the myth that homelessness exists only in big cities or large towns. There is a homeless problem in every Dublin suburb tonight and in any large or medium-sized town in the country.

I agree with the Minister of State that it is not just a problem of temporary accommodation and that we have seen progress in this area in recent years. There needs to be a change of heart and attitude by the local authority housing departments to put more emphasis on smaller units, especially for single men. If there is one group of people which is losing out the most, whose members are ending up in chaotic lifestyles and circumstances, depending on their aunt, former partner or whoever, it is single men. How can a single man, who may have a child or two, possibly hope to remain in touch with his offspring if he does not have any permanent accommodation?

The message from tonight's debate regarding the general campaign of the voluntary organisations mentioned in the motion, which I support, is that there should be much more pressure on local authorities in Dublin to provide smaller units better tailored to the needs of men in particular who are rock-bottom and going nowhere on the housing list. They have no chance of securing a house because their child lives with their former partner or spouse. We must do much more to produce creative housing solutions for those men in particular, even if it is in a co-operative or community environment, with three or four men in separate bedrooms in a single unit. One takes away a man's dignity if one denies him the right to see his child or children regularly. They cannot do that in the current environment, since suburban Dublin does not provide enough or suitable housing units.

The Tallaght Homeless Advice Unit, which is doing superb work in the Dublin 24 area, needs the support of local authorities and the Government to ensure that creative responses to the problems of homeless men and women can be found.

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