Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is time to have a debate or discussion on the homeless crisis and on the temporary accommodation we provide for single parents and children. I spoke in the House at the beginning of the week around people being evicted from hotels, from hubs and from bed and breakfast accommodation. This is a serious matter. I see it happening with people in the Traveller community, people from other ethnic minorities and with people from the general population as well, if my language is correct in saying it like that. We have not touched on how it is that people are being evicted from hotels and from hubs. I understand and I know of a case where a child of 14 was smoking in a room and a person gave a loan of €20 to another resident and that led to her eviction, along with four children. In my opinion that is very wrong. I am working with Dublin City Council to get places for people who I know have been evicted and again, it is not just happening to the Traveller community it is happening to a lot of people who are homeless. I am looking for a way of protecting people who are in bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels and it is really important we are able to do that.

A second point which is similar, is also around accommodation. What has been spent from the Traveller accommodation budget in the past year and how was it spent? Hopefully, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, could come to the House because it is not a four-minute conversation; it is a conversation that needs to have at least two hours.

I am aware of 400 to 600 families in the Traveller community who still have not received the electricity credit. I tabled a Commencement matter for the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, or the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, but unfortunately it did not get selected. I will try again next week but a lot of issues are impacting the Traveller community and wider society around homelessness and staying in hotels and hubs and it really needs to be discussed.