Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second that amendment. Ireland is facing a major choice in the next few weeks and is currently facing a severe crisis. We have a Government in place which seems more than happy to blame the previous Government for any problems that arise and which is more than happy to take credit for any good that comes. However, what shocked people most this week was the callous response of Minister for Public Expenditure, Deputy Brendan Howlin when asked about Monday's television programme "My Homeless Family". The Minister suggested this was a priority for the next Government. The current Government does not care. It is doing its very best to ride a wave of glory to seek a coronation and get into power the next time, but in reality it has achieved very little. The Government has implemented a plan which was devised by the late Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan. At the time, the plan was bitterly opposed by the parties which form the current Government and they voted against it time and again, but they have performed a U-turn.

It is heartbreaking for the majority of the nation to see the way the homeless crisis has developed and to see the lack of shame from the Government benches in the Seanad and the Dáil on this matter. Of course, people want low taxes and of course they want the recovery to continue but they want basic decency in our country. They do not want people and families in hotels nor they do not want them in tents. That is what has arisen in society. People do not want crime running rampant. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald said this morning that crime is a feature of modern life. Crime and homelessness are not, however, an acceptable feature of modern life.

Shame on the Minister, Deputy Howlin, and the Government for putting the problems of today into tomorrow while blaming the past for any of the issues that arise. They are not fit for Government and they deserve to lose office. I am confident that in the next few weeks the public will put the Government out of office and a new broom will be brought in. There will be great responsibilities on the new Government to solve this homeless crisis. If the current Government is not prepared to do it and is prepared to sit back and ignore what is going on, it should be aware that the people are not prepared to sit back and the next Government certainly will not sit back. I wish it to be on the record of the House that Fianna Fáil is leading the charge to be the alternative Government. We are in business, we are back in the game, we want to be in Government and we have a programme to deliver, at the heart of which is decency.