Although I am glad to see the Minister of State, Deputy Dan Wallace, who is a colleague, in the House, I am disappointed that neither the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Molloy, nor the Minister for Defence are here to hear what I have to say. However, I have no doubt that Deputy Wallace will pass on my comments to them.
While most commentators accept that the handling of the housing crisis by the Government during the past two and a half years is nothing short of scandalous, by far the most depressing feature of the crisis can be seen in the number of people sleeping rough in our capital city. As winter is now upon us we must, yet again, call upon the Government and the statutory agencies to accept their responsibility in relation to the prob lem of homelesness. The Minister of State, Deputy Mollow, admitted on 15 October that more than 250 people are now sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin every night. Yet in the same speech the Minister of State said, "We cannot ignore the plight of these people, especially at this time when our economy is growing so strongly". It is time Deputy Molloy and his colleagues took political reponsibility for this problem. Shifting responsibility from Dublin Corporation to the Eastern Health Board and on to the Government's cross departmental team will not provide one additional accommodation unit for a person who is homeless.
This is the third time I have raised this matter on the Adjournment and I have tabled countless Opposition motions to place on the record of the House the persistent and increasing plight of the homeless in our capital city. I accept that the issue is complex but I will not accept that the Government cannot find, at the very least, suitable temporary accommodation particularly over the winter period, for people without a home.
The scale of the homeless problem has multiplied in the recent past. According the national assessment of homeless people carried out by local authorities last March, the number of homeless people in the State has increased from 2,501 in 1996 to 5,234 in 1999. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that the Dublin figures are breathtaking, showing an increase over the same period from 1,447 to 3,640. This is at a time of unprecedented wealth, when the reputation of our capital city as the most lively city in Europe is gaining currency internationally.
What I find most unacceptable about the number of homeless people is the fatalistic excuse from the Government that its agencies regularly provide, that it is almost inevitable. Homelessness is not inevitable. Solutions can be found for the immediate future and the longer term. It is a matter of organising our resources so that additional units of accommodation can be found. In essence, it requires the State, through the Department of the Environment and Local Government, to interact with all Departments and statutory agencies until a solution is found.
There are many vacant buildings throughout this city which could be transformed into temporary accommodation for homeless people over the winter and beyond. The current provision of emergency accommodation is unable to meet the massive demand. Many publicly owned buildings, such as Army barracks, could provide a crucial temporary home for these people.
The Minister of State, Deputy Molloy, said on 15 October last that the Government's cross departmental team on homelessness was expected to report in a matter of weeks. Six weeks later, we have still to see any concrete strategy being put in place. It is another example of the shameful neglect by this Government of the plight of homeless people. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government must immediately conclude his discussions with all Departments in relation to the availability of surplus property and lands in the possession of the State.
On Sunday, Focus Ireland produced a report showing that the homelessness problem could be resolved nationwide in five years for the small sum of £39 million. I call on the Minister to give a commitment tonight that, without further delay, the cross departmental team that has been working on this issue will publish its report and that he will provide adequate temporary facilities over Christmas and the winter for the homeless people of this city.
