Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

All those who have been bereaved or lost deserve to be remembered.

A few Mondays ago the Capuchin day centre for homeless people hit a record high when it had 710 people for dinner. It normally hosts between 500 and 600 per day at its lunchtime meal. On the same day, 160 families received baby food, nappies and clothing from the centre, which is run by Br. Kevin Crowley, one of society's living heroes. Up to 1,600 food parcels are currently given out on Wednesday mornings and Br. Crowley said the people with whom he works live in constant fear of the unknown because they dread what might happen to them or their families in the future. Despite economic growth and rising disposable income levels it is clear people in Dublin, and throughout the country, are left behind and are utterly reliant on charitable assistance. Last month's survey by the CSO on income and living conditions indicated that the consistent poverty rate showed little recent change, going from 8.8% in 2014 to 8.7% in 2015 and a recent report by the Samaritans claimed social and economic inequality was putting people at increased risk of suicide.

In recent weeks, in both Houses of the Oireachtas, there has been considerable and deserved spotlight on things that happened in the past but the focus must also remain on the considerable number of our citizens who are being let down by the State now, and who find themselves in various states of inequality. Children are bearing the brunt of the inequity, especially those in lone-parent households and in homeless families whose sense of dignity and self-respect is being eroded on a daily basis but yet there are no significant street demonstrations calling for a change to this.

Before Christmas, Br. Crowley said he met a mother of three who had been placed in emergency accommodation in Malahide, north Dublin. She had no money and nothing to eat. She had to leave her children alone in the accommodation because she had to go back to the Capuchin service in the city centre for food. Today, we welcome our Government Ministers back from around the world and I am mindful we often call for Ministers to come to this House to discuss various issues. They would do well to visit Br. Crowley's facility on Bow Street to see just how unequal Irish society remains in 2017.