David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

With your permission, a Chathaoirligh, I wish to recognise the presence in the Visitors Gallery of Ms Alice Leahy of TRUST. I am not sure if I would describe it as a charity, but it is a remarkable organisation that does good works. I was honoured to have her as one of my guests today at lunch. We have been fortunate with the weather so far, but we are moving into a period which will be severely cold.

A number of years ago, the previous Minister with responsibility for the environment, Mr. John Gormley, visited TRUST's premises in Patrick Street, Dublin, and was so impressed that he asked what he could do to help. The cold weather was coming in, so he returned to the Oireachtas and gave instructions to open a cold weather shelter which was enormously successful. If we want to save lives over the Christmas period, we need to do this again. I ask the Leader, Senator Cummins, to request the Government to open a cold weather shelter.

Some homeless people can be difficult and awkward. A lady once lived across the road in a cardboard box on the steps of our offices which were located there many years ago. She did not want to go anywhere. She knew where she wanted to be and had her own routine. The former Senator Brendan Ryan and I got her a blanket, which was the only thing we could do at Christmas. I think she is dead now.

We have the capacity to open a cold weather shelter, as there are many empty buildings, including offices. A property man was on the radio stating he could help to organise such an initiative, so let us do so. All that is needed is basic equipment, including showers, mattresses, coffee and soup. If such rudimentary facilities were available, people sleeping in the open could obtain shelter and avoid freezing to death. Unfortunately, people regularly die of hypothermia in this country. Homeless people should be provided with the necessary information. In addition, members of the public could be provided with a helpline number via street placards to assist the homeless. It would be a credit to the Oireachtas if we could insist that the Government initiate such a scheme.

A lot of the problems with charities concern bureaucracy. It is a much more complicated situation than people imagine. I cannot help noticing that when anybody opens their gob to criticise the Government, there is a little toxic leak against them. I remember that happened when the Technical Group in the Dáil produced material about various eminent people getting points off their licences for drunk driving.