Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Diego Maradona died yesterday but two men in our capital city also died. One of them was homeless and living on the streets of Dublin and the other had been homeless and was in sheltered accommodation. I have raised the issue of homelessness many times in this House and at the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I fully recognise the commitment from the Government in terms of funding for homeless prevention and support for those people who are unfortunate enough to be homeless. More than €230 million will be spent on homeless prevention and services this year alone but we, as a House, have to examine the situation with the provision of homeless services, particularly here in the capital. We must ask why, when we are spending so much money on homeless accommodation, people are opting to sleep on our streets. I would like the Leader to write to the chief executive of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive expressing our appreciation for its work and the work of everybody who responds to and supports homeless individuals, but also to ask for a report on the provision of homeless services and the quality of those services.

Senator Ruane spoke earlier in the week about the fact that homeless people are ending up in prison. There was talk today about direct provision, the ending of which I absolutely support and to which the Government is committed. We must recognise that it is not enough to say that we are going to provide a bed. People who end up homeless often have many other challenges in their lives. We must recognise that and support them. I would like the Leader to raise that issue with the chief executive of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive because I have a real concern that homeless accommodation is increasingly being provided by private operators in Dublin city. They do not have the skill set to respond to the complex needs of homeless people that go way beyond just a bed.