Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise two issues but before doing so I will refer to Senator Norris's point about the Luas being useless. I am a regular user of the Luas and I love it. I use the DART on a daily basis and it is great that Dublin has such a great network of public transport.

I wish to raise the issue of homeless children. I draw the House's attention to the comments made in recent days by Dr. Niall Muldoon, the Ombudsman for Children, relating to homeless children. His comments echo the sentiments raised in the House with the Fianna Fáil motion a number of weeks ago that was unanimously passed by the House. Dr. Muldoon has indicated that bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation are not suitable to support normal family living. He argues that urgent action is needed to provide alternative accommodation for families that have become homeless. He also said there is no doubt the housing crisis is having a disproportionate effect on children. Becoming homeless and spending months in unsuitable accommodation is traumatic for anyone but for children it differentiates them from their peers and can mean a loss of a significant period of their childhood. The new housing action plan must make it clear that bed and breakfast accommodation and hotel accommodation is a measure of last resort for children and their families. The new plan should ensure that no child is subjected to degrading or humiliating experiences as a result of being homeless. If a family is to stay in emergency accommodation for a short period there should be no question of them using service entrances or being forced to eat in separate areas. My last point is very valid. The State pays for this accommodation. Therefore, the people who avail of this accommodation are being hosted by the State and should be treated as equal citizens. The State should make it clear to hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation that the people who stay in them should be treated no different from anybody else. I ask the Leader to raise this issue with the relevant Minister.

I wish to raise a second issue.