Rising homelessness

Summary

Deputy Ó Broin cited sharp increases in homelessness and asked whether any new measures were being taken to address the crisis. The Tánaiste said social housing delivery and existing interventions were helping, but the exchange became increasingly contentious as he was pressed for concrete new actions.

Eoin Ó Broin Sinn Féin

Under the Tánaiste's watch, homelessness has reached levels never thought imaginable. In March, almost 14,000 people, including more than 4,000 children, were in emergency accommodation. Since the Government took office, all categories of homelessness are up. Overall homelessness is up 59%, child homelessness is up 56% and pensioner homelessness is up 67%. Meanwhile, hundreds of people every single night sleep rough on our streets because they lack adequate emergency accommodation.

Last month, the Government published a so-called housing progress report update which made no mention of rising homelessness, did not contain any new proposals to stem the rise and did not make any commitment to reducing the number of people entering emergency accommodation month on month. Will the Tánaiste tell the Dáil what new initiatives the Government intends to introduce in the coming weeks and months to finally start to get a grip on this escalating homelessness crisis?

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Micheál Martin The Tánaiste Fianna Fáil

First, as the Deputy will be aware, 12,000 social homes were delivered in total last year, 2023. The provision of social housing is a very effective intervention in reducing homelessness and reducing the time people spend in emergency accommodation. The homelessness situation is now much more complex than it was five or ten years ago - the Deputy knows that despite the shaking of the head-----

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