Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are here this evening because of Jonathan Corrie. We are not here because he died but because of where he died, which was fewer than 50 m from the gates of the building in which we are having this debate. I hope, like everybody who made a contribution, that some good comes out of this unfortunate man's early demise.

People find themselves homeless for very many reasons, whether it be drug- or alcohol-related, coming from a broken home or broken relationship or having a mental difficulty of one kind or another, but the reality of the situation, regardless of how they find themselves homeless - I accept what Senator Hayden said that the nature of homelessness has changed over the last number of years - is that this should be dealt with. Primarily from my experience, those we see sleeping on our streets at night, and in the middle of day because some of the them are afraid to sleep at night, unfortunately have some difficulties as I outlined. It is an indictment on all of us from all political parties and none that this situation has been tolerated and allowed to develop over the decades. While I accept that there will always be people who are going to sleep on our streets - that will be their choice - I believe it would be the choice of the vast majority of those who are forced to sleep on our streets to have a warm bed to lie in at night.

It is also worth pointing out that the right to property is enshrined in our Constitution and I believe the right to shelter should be enshrined in it. We are here this evening as result of Mr. Corrie's death. The Minister and the Minister of State will meet with the stakeholders tomorrow, and I hope something urgent and immediate comes from that.

While we have a bigger problem with people losing their homes, whether as a result of being evicted by the banks because they cannot pay their mortgages or by the landlords because they cannot pay their rents, the immediate problem we have are the Jonathan Corries of this world. That should be tackled as a matter of urgency.

I pay tribute to everybody who is involved in working with the homeless throughout the State, be it the Simon Community, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the churches, the Peter McVerry Trust, Focus Point, etc. I am aware that in naming them I may leave somebody out. There are a large number of voluntary organisations dealing with the homeless and I wish them well. I hope that some good will come from this debate. I challenge each and everyone of us in this House to reconvene on this topic in the first week we resume in January to see what progress has been made in providing shelter.