Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

To pick up briefly on what Senator McDowell said and the response of Senator Humphreys, it is clear that politicians on all sides have failed to help ordinary people to access the basic requirement of adequate and decent housing. The answer is not to drive down standards but to look creatively at what the State and public agencies can do to solve this problem. Such creative thinking is long overdue. Purely market-driven thinking is not working. I am conscious of conversations I have had recently with housing placement officers in urban county councils and city councils. They told me how desperate it is for people. People in the low to medium income bracket cannot get housing as they cannot afford rents or mortgages. We must continue to debate this and have much more adventurous thinking.

The issue I wish to raise is one which Senator Murnane O'Connor touched on briefly yesterday, which is our elderly population and loneliness. She mentioned the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, TILDA, whose latest report was published recently. I am also conscious of the good work done by Senator Swanick in this area. It would be useful to have further debate on loneliness and how it can be addressed in our society. We are generally a social and sociable people. We know people need other people and thrive on human connections, but in the modern world social bonds are breaking down. We are all experiencing this. As Senator Swanick said previously, loneliness among older people is a hidden public health crisis. There is a certain taboo around the subject. We should have a debate and consider what the TILDA report tells us, which is that loneliness can be exacerbated by things such as bereavement, the loss of a partner, retirement or living alone. It is not a surprise that these matters are more of an issue as people get older, but it is interesting to see that it is as much a problem in urban areas as it is in rural areas. The study found that 6.5% faced serious loneliness in rural areas, but it was 10% in Dublin city and county.

One can understand why that might be the case. As the report said, there are still some of the bonds of community and church to be found in rural areas. For those who are interested in the important positive contribution faith and faith communities can make to civic life, it is interesting to note that the study states that where people have greater involvement in their local church and the practice of faith, it can help. Mental Health Ireland has said that this can help people maintain good mental health, cope with daily stress and keep them grounded.

Today, I met a woman who is involved in one of the small Protestant churches in Dublin. She is getting on in years yet she is taking care of the children of a single mother, who is one of what is called the new Irish and who lives in that church. The father vanished from the scene rather early. That is all too much of a problem in Irish life that we do not discuss much.This person was found through this particular church network. Of course, people do not only find help through church networks, but these are the hidden heroes who are reaching out and going beyond themselves. I am not referring to this particular person, but perhaps some of these people address their own risk of loneliness by reaching out to others. They help fill a real need in people's lives by taking care of children and helping out, in order that those people can do better for themselves and their families.