Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not appear to have heard about legislation introduced by Sinn Féin on rent certainty, protection from eviction and security of tenure. The party introduced Bills in the Oireachtas at least six times. The Government asked for solutions and it was given solutions but they were knocked back and opposed or Members sat on the fence getting blistered bums.

I know I am not meant to speak about the business of the Dáil but what I will speak about is the effect the homelessness and housing crisis is having on children. Five years ago when I was a councillor I helped a woman who lived in a car with her three children. I knew at the time something was happening. I knew there was a tsunami of distraught parents and children beginning to emerge who were left to sleep in cars. That was the beginning of the housing crisis. The child whom I met at that time was seven years of age. The child stopped talking and listening and became incontinent. My colleague, Senator Rose Conway-Walsh, alluded to the short documentary, "Through the Cracks", which I urge all Members to watch. It refers repeatedly to the stories of children who are at risk of homelessness or actually homeless. It is stated all of the children suffer from anxiety and depression. Where is the therapy for every one of them? A woman came to see me yesterday in fear. She has been given notice to quit because the landlord or landlady wants to take back the house. Her child is in this precarious position. He is a small six year old boy with mental health issues. He has become extremely violent because he is picking up on the parents' insecurity, anxiety and depression due to the lack of somewhere to live. There is a psychologist missing in Cherry Orchard Hospital and a two-year waiting list. The child has become violent and his mother has been told to ring the police about her six year old. That is the only solution while she is on a two-year waiting list.