The December homeless figures show that there were 9,753 people in homeless accommodation. In an accompanying statement issued at the time the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, stated there was sufficient bed capacity to provide a bed for anyone who wanted one. That is simply not the case. Two weeks' ago, I personally brought a case in Wicklow to the attention of the Minister. It involves a ludicrous policy in Wicklow County Council under which part-time emergency homeless accommodation is provided for individuals. I brought to attention the case of a young woman with three children who was pregnant and who had been in bed and breakfast accommodation provided by the local authority. The local authority had cut the number of nights a week it was provided from seven to four. That is the policy and it not an isolated case. It is the policy of Wicklow County Council under which we see families having to share accommodation. It has got to the stage where the woman in question has to make a choice to put herself and her children out on the street or stay in the accommodation. She did the right thing. She chose to stay in it.

Time is up.

She now has a bill for €960 because she chose to keep a roof over her head and those of her children.

The Deputy is taking his colleagues' time.

The Minister did not even come back to me. When I spoke to him again last week in the Chamber, he stated he had not had a chance to speak to anyone about this ludicrous policy which is in operation in Wicklow County Council.

Time is up.

Does the Minister stand over the statement he made that there was a bed for anyone who wanted one in emergency accommodation because that is not the case? Does he stand over this appalling ludicrous policy which is in operation in Wicklow County Council?

I assure the Deputy that I will not be calling him again.

If the Minister does not, what will he do about it?

The Government has repeatedly reaffirmed its belief Rebuilding Ireland is working. I entirely disagree. The example given by Deputy Brady outlines the position. To give the Minister an insight, the Cork Simon emergency shelter has been full every night for the past two months. Last week all 47 beds were full, with nine additional persons on the floor and in sofa spaces and 17 on mattresses on the floor of the day service next door. In a particular week in December there were 373 adults in emergency accommodation. Cork Simon states there has been no let up. The emergency accommodation crisis is getting worse and worse. I believe it is time the Minister reconsidered the Government's position on confining social housing provision to small-scale projects. That is part of the solution.

I thank both Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Brady, I am afraid that I cannot speak about or become involved in individual cases. That is a matter for the local authority in question. The Deputy raised with me the prospect that there might be a policy in Wicklow and I made a commitment to get back to him. I offer my apologies to him as I have not yet got back to him. My understanding is that my officials have not had an opportunity to speak to the local authority in Wicklow.

That is not good enough. There is one family who is being turfed out of emergency accommodation and receiving a bill for €1,000.

I do not have-----

The Minister states he does not have responsibility. He is the bloody housing Minister.

As I do not have the full facts of the matter to hand, I cannot speak about it. Of course, we all know that there is a crisis of homelessness in the country. That is why this year we will spend more money on housing than any Government ever has in one year. That is why we are continuing to build thousands and thousands of social housing homes. The Deputy's colleague stated Rebuilding Ireland was failing. Since the year before it, we have increased the number of social housing homes by eight times.

Is there an emergency bed for everyone who wants one?

The Deputy does not like my answer because it contradicts his colleague's position.

Is there an emergency bed for everyone who wants one?

Time is up.

Deputy Brady does not like my answer because his party has no plan when it comes to housing.

Is there an emergency bed for everyone who wants one?

That is why we have Rebuilding Ireland.