South Circular Road hostel
Deputy Cummins raised overcrowding and antisocial behaviour linked to a homeless hostel on the South Circular Road. The Tánaiste said he would bring the matter to the Housing Minister and the Minister of State for planning.
I wish everybody here and throughout the House a very happy Christmas and thank them for what has been my first year and how welcoming they have been. I have been very delighted to see the Taoiseach has given clearance for Santa Claus to come.
I wish to raise an issue on the South Circular Road in my constituency, where a number of people are housed in a homeless hostel. Unfortunately, there seems to be an issue with overcrowding there which is spilling out onto the streets and causing antisocial behaviour. That is not welcoming for anybody.
My concern and the concern of the people living on that road is because there are so many people living there, it is a fire hazard. A total of 75% of the people who live there are working. They are trying to get back on their feet but they are living in a situation where they are so crammed together, they of course have to go outside. Can anything be done to ensure that when buildings are being repurposed, we are protecting people's privacy and a right to dignity to not live in an absolutely overcrowded situation in bunk beds? When people are trying to get back on their feet, it is very difficult. That has a knock-on effect, not only for them but also for the people who work in that hostel and the people who live in that area.
Comment on this
The Deputy is one of the over 60 TDs who are here for their first Christmas and through their first calendar year as well. I wish her a happy Christmas. Politics aside, I know everybody works very hard in the Oireachtas and it has been a busy first year.
I thank the Deputy for bringing the facility on the South Circular Road to my attention. I will raise that directly with the Minister for housing and the Minister of State with responsibility for planning, Deputy John Cummins. The Deputy's point is valid. People are trying to get back on their feet and we have to make sure standards and designs reflect that as well. I will ask either the Minister or the Minister of State to come back to the Deputy directly.