Last week during Leaders' Questions, Deputy Micheál Martin was outraged when I suggested that is a policy choice by the Government to put more than 1,000 people seeking asylum onto the streets. Over the weekend, we got definitive proof that it is a very cruel policy choice. On Friday, when the snow came down and the tents collapsed, the Government came under pressure and beds were found for people. They were told that they would have beds for two nights but they did not get that. The very next morning, they were kicked out of empty facilities where there are thousands of beds. Children were kicked out onto the streets and not given any transport back into town despite a promise, and forced to walk into town where they found that many of their tents and sleeping bags were gone in some cases, or in other cases were absolutely soaking. It is ordinary Irish people who are out there helping them at the moment in a desperate situation on our streets, while the State has abandoned them. Will the Government abandon this cruel policy? Nobody - no Irish, Ukrainian or Afghan person or people from anywhere else - should be on the streets.

There are not thousands of beds available. I wish there were because if there were, we would not be in a position where people are being left unaccommodated. It is an extremely serious situation right now where there are 1,100 people unaccommodated. Over the weekend, we were able to provide a very basic, emergency and short-term response to about 150 individuals over the course of the two days. That was not a sustainable housing solution, and I think everyone recognises that. My Department continues to work to try to secure additional accommodation for families and also for male applicants but there are not spare beds available. If there were, people would not be left unaccommodated.

There were plenty of beds in the facilities. There are pictures.