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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Ex-servicemen housing support

Summary

Senator McFadden called for proper funding for housing and support services for ex-servicemen and women so they would not have to depend on charity.

I refer to the Organisation for National Ex-Service Personnel, ONE. I refer, in particular, to the funding for housing for ex-servicemen. A fuchsia appeal was launched in July. It is a charity. I do not believe ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen who have served their country so proudly should have to rely on charity when they fall on hard times. ONE has several houses throughout the country, one of which is in my home town of Athlone, while others are located in Dublin, Letterkenny and Limerick. There are also several drop-in centres, all of which are funded by charity, which I do not think is good enough. Single men, in particular, fall through the cracks when they leave the Army and find themselves in a situation where they need support. All of the ONE fund-raisers are volunteers. Will the Leader to speak to the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, and ask him to address this issue within the housing strategy and his budget? Nothing is received for these houses from the Government or county councils, although I think some money is received for the house in Dublin from one of the Dublin county councils. I urge the Leader to raise the issue with the Minister, as it is not good enough that ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen who have served their country gave to rely on charity.

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