Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have not had an opportunity in the House to comment on it since. We had a good debate on homelessness last week, but we might seek a debate in the new year on progress made in achieving the commitments made on Thursday - very welcome commitments by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, and by those stakeholders involved in the forum - to ensure there would be beds available for people sleeping rough and that there would be a serious commitment to tackling this problem, particularly in the Dublin area. As part of that, I welcome the resolution of the issue with Fr. Scully House on Gardiner Street. Deputy Joe Costello was very involved with that. That will allow 99 units of accommodation for homeless persons to be made available. We might seek a debate on that in the new year.

I welcome the announcement on Friday that Labour Women, the women's section of the party, has established a commission on a repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. The commission is tasked with examining the best legal and political strategies to accomplish repeal of Article 43.3 of the Constitution and the introduction of legislation providing for the circumstances in which abortion may legally take place. It is very welcome to see this commission being established. It will be under the very distinguished chairpersonship of Dr. Mary Henry, a former Senator in this House and a medical doctor. I will be rapporteur and we will have an independent panel of legal and medical experts who will assist us in our work. I ask the Leader, when the commission reports to the party in the spring of next year and once the report is made public, to arrange a debate in this House on it.