Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. While the amendments fall far short of the measures of rent certainty I would like to have seen introduced, for example, rent increases that are in line with an external measurement such as the consumer price index, which has been suggested by Threshold, I welcome them as a much needed and long overdue first step.The latest quarterly daft.iereport published today shows that in the third quarter of 2015, rents rose nationwide by an average of 3.2%, which represents the largest three-month jump in rent since 2007. Supply on the rental market is at its tightest on record with just 4,000 properties available to rent nationwide, very few of which offer affordable family accommodation. The current monopolistic private rental market characterised by rapidly increasing rents and a complete dearth of housing supply is intrinsically linked to our spiralling homelessness and risk of homelessness crises. I have spoken on this issue on a number of occasions but I plan to speak only on this grouping of amendments so I ask the Minister of State to bear with me. I have a number of questions and look forward to hearing the Minister of State's answers from the floor. I would be happy to forward any of these questions in writing if they require further time for consideration.

In November 2014, homelessness agencies reported that 700 children were living in emergency accommodation. In 12 months, this figure has grown to 1,500 and it is highly likely that this number will continue to increase as supply continues to be constrained and there is no indication of a step-change in new supply given the pipeline of sites that are ready for development with available finance. Recently announced modular housing will only serve to meet part of the backlog. The private rental sector is likely to remain attractive to those who can afford it and those who cannot access home ownership, the so-called young professionals. Affordable family accommodation is therefore chronically undersupplied. Does the Minister of State have a figure for the projected demand for emergency accommodation for families with children? What is the Minister of State planning for?

Setting aside numbers in emergency accommodation, research has shown that when homelessness among children increases, it is coupled with a rise in children living in unsuitable or overcrowded accommodation, sometimes sharing with other families, which parents view as preferable to presenting as homeless. Does the Minister of State have an estimated figure for the number of children living in overcrowded accommodation? Has a study been done into this area of concern or is one planned? I and many of the children's rights organisations following these issues are deeply concerned by the immediate and long-term impacts for children who are placed in emergency accommodation. Temporary accommodation, whether hostel, emergency or another form of temporary accommodation, can adversely impact on children. In many cases, the lack of stability and uncertainty is deeply worrying for children. This is reflected in anecdotal evidence from the ISPCC Childline service. It affects children's ability to play due to lack of space. Often, quiet spaces to study are impossible to find. At worse, lack of natural light and outdoor spaces is likely to affect development. Children report being very stressed and often hide this stress and worry from their parents who are often struggling.

Emergency and hotel accommodation is the most concerning type of accommodation for homeless children. It should only be used in exceptional circumstances. It is increasingly being used as the norm because of the severe lack of purpose-built temporary accommodation for families. I am genuinely concerned about child protection, safety and security issues and a range of developmental impacts, as I have set out briefly.

Has Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, been involved in assessing the suitability of hotels and hostels that are housing families with children? If so, has it determined that some forms of accommodation are unsuitable? Who determines whether there may be child protection risks? Are individuals working in hotels where homeless children are placed Garda vetted? If not, why not? I appreciate that hotel staff are not normally vetted, but placing children in hotels as a formal State intervention to the homelessness crisis changes the said hotel's official usage. The children are living there, playing there and growing up there. On this basis, they could be of interest to predators. It is essential that urgent steps are taken to ensure all children in emergency accommodation are safe. In other jurisdictions with similar homelessness levels, emergency accommodation is used as an exception and for no more than six weeks. How many children have lived in emergency accommodation for more than six weeks?Does the Minister of State agree this is unacceptable? Are wraparound services available for all families in emergency accommodation? What steps are being taken to work with families to help them to secure and keep a tenancy elsewhere?

Have officials from the Minister of State's Department been assigned to inspect emergency accommodation and its suitability for children on an ongoing basis, for example, to assess the safety and security of shared and communal areas and the availability of safe spaces to play? Has the Minister of State required providers of emergency accommodation to make accommodation suitable for children? Has Tusla been involved in advising on suitability?

I have some questions on the new modular housing project for Dublin. Will the design of modular housing reflect the fact that it is to be purpose-built accommodation for homeless families? Will the design meet the needs of children? Will there be sufficient space for children in which to play? Will the Child and Family Agency and other appropriate bodies and agencies be consulted on the design of the accommodation? If so, when?