No serious effort to tackle homelessness - McLellan

No serious effort has been made to stem the tide of homelessness, Cork East Sinn Féin Deputy Sandra McLellan told the Dáil.

Speaking during a debate on a Fianna Fáil motion on social housing, she said day after day goes by with ever-increasing numbers. “Evictions occur daily and there is little concern about the fallout for those involved,” she said. “Families are living in circumstances with unknown and limited security. Children travel across cities to get to school, returning only to their cramped accommodation in the evenings. This is not an environment conducive to normal day-to-day living, let alone the development of a child and his or her education. Adults, where they are lucky enough to have emergency accommodation, are subjected to a multitude of difficulties in their attempts to balance family life while dealing with the stress of the crisis they find themselves in.”

The figures from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government suggest that 28 council houses were built in the first nine months of 2015, she said. This is indicative of the attitude of this Government towards our most vulnerable. “The crisis has been ongoing and has been highlighted for a number of years. With the run-in to the election, it has suddenly become an issue for this Government. It is a pity the Government did not proactively intervene earlier in the Dáil term. In the upcoming election the voters will have a choice. They can choose to re-elect this Government. However, that comes with a price. They should be prepared for five more years during which the voices of the most vulnerable will go unheard. This crisis will be allowed to fester. How long more can citizens sit back and allow this to happen? I for one hope this crisis can be addressed before we lose another human being on the streets of our towns and cities.”

The issue of unaffordable rents must be met head-on, she said. The fact that 95% of those in receipt of rent supplement are unable to afford market rents must be addressed. The fact that 1,600 children reside in emergency accommodation is nothing short of a national scandal. “No one is saying the fix can happen overnight,” she added. “It is systemic. The problem is that the broken cogs within the system are not being replaced or repaired.”

The Fianna Fáil motion was defeated by 63 votes to 27.