Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-18
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Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP), Dún Laoghaire

One third of those who are homeless were evicted from the private rental sector.
Quite simply, they would not be in emergency accommodation and the children to whom I refer would not be suffering this hardship if the Government had not lifted the no-fault eviction ban. We have an emergency. We have the highest level of child homelessness ever. If that is not an emergency, I honestly do not know what is. The Government should reinstate the ban.
I am glad there is an acknowledgement regarding three-bedroom units. We warned the Government about this. The demand for social housing was not taking account of people who are on transfer lists, HAP and RAS. It previously understated the extent of family homelessness or the number of people in danger of it. We need to address that. The €100 million to which the Tánaiste referred represents 200 houses in Dublin. That number would only house a fraction of the number of families who are homeless and who need to get out of homeless accommodation. The amount being provided is not enough. It is in contrast with in excess of €1 billion the Government gave away in the form of €600 million for military expenditure, research and development tax credits of €305 million, €681 million for the VAT reduction in the hospitality sector and the reduction in respect of apartments that will amount to €390 million in one year. Big giveaways for developers, big business and the military are in contrast to the amount allocated to deal with family homelessness,. More needs to be done.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:29+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-18