Thomas Gould
Cork North-Central · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I stand here in the shadow of Cork men and women who fought and died for Irish freedom. I think today of Mary MacSwiney, who went from her brother's deathbed to this Dáil. She was the true embodiment of a rebel. When we talk about the cost of Irish unity, Mary MacSwiney also spoke about the cost of Irish freedom in the Dáil.”
“The truth is the Six Counties have been economically trapped and cannot reach their full potential under Britain. If these economies were to grow like Cork and Galway, they would be a net positive financial impact on Irish unity.”
“The difference that Irish unity could make is much more tangible for them now. Ireland unfree shall never be at peace. I want to send a message to all of those young people. The cost of unity is the cost of their future. It is the cost of the life they could build here.”
“I welcome the debate today. Ireland has a proud history and tradition of myths and legends, from Cú Chulainn to Tír na nÓg to the Children of Lír, which have passed down through the generations. However, the latest myth and legend some people are telling is far more damaging. There are people who claim that we cannot afford Irish unity.”
“Professor Seamus McGuinness of the ESRI clearly stated that FitzGerald's hypotheses were based on a scenario that could never happen. Do you know what that reminds me of? For years, when we talked about climate change, climate change deniers were rolled out to give their opinions, even though all the science was against them.”
“The Minister of State referred to the new 90-minute fares and the fact that people can tap on and tap off. I want to let her know that the fare is €1.90 but next week, it will be €2.40. That is a 26% increase in the fare. How can that be justified?”
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“When it comes to social media, there are no protections for young people and children. It is a free-for-all at the moment. It is disappointing that the Minister is not supporting this Bill. It is really disappointing that this Government is not doing more. We are not looking to ban social media. We are looking to regulate it and to put solutions in place. Children and young people are being failed by this Government. The onus is on the Minister now to rethink, adopt this Bill and work with us. We will all work together for the safety of young children.”
“"Artificial intelligence, AI,-powered recommender systems are feeding millions of children toxic content about eating disorders, self-harm, and graphic videos...", according to the Irish Examiner last year. This is something parents have been saying for years and still there is no urgency from the Government to tackle this. Years later, it is failing to act. Young girls are being forced into eating disorders and young boys are being taught to hate women. I love social media and I can see positives in social media. I connect with my constituents, people all over the world and my family and friends but it is like driving a car. I have to wear a safety belt, have a driving licence, take safety precautions and the car has to be fit to drive. I cannot just get in and do it.”
“I have spoken to parents, both men and women, who have cried in my office because they think they have failed their children. They cried because they do not see a solution. This week alone, two people came in with notices to quit and three homeless people came into my clinic on Monday. Those two families had notices to quit. The previous week we had seven people with notices to quit or people coming in homeless. There has been a tsunami of homelessness because of the new Government rent increase Bill that came in on 1 March. These families coming into me with notices to quit are terrified of the effects it will have on their children. They are terrified of how they will get to school or get to play with their friends or local clubs. This Leap card will make a real difference to ordinary children. I know the Minister is assessing it.”
“The Minister of State outlined what is happening. I sincerely hope he will take on board the submissions made during the consultation and the point I have made today because I have raised this previously. We will disagree on politics and fight and argue over the housing policy and how I believe a number of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Governments have caused the housing emergency we are in. I hope they will take the opportunity to provide this small support because it will make such a difference to homeless families and especially children in emergency accommodation. On top of that, when you look at the number of people who are homeless or in emergency accommodation - the figures came out last week - it is heartbreaking that so many families are being traumatised this way.”
“How was that child able to manage to study for the leaving certificate in one room? There are consequences to that. It is hard enough doing all that and not having the money to get to school. It is just not good enough. This Government is offering no solutions to homelessness. That is why it needs to apply this fund for people, especially children.”
“I know a teacher who has actually given money to parents to ensure that the kids can make it to school. There are unbelievable teachers and other people out there who understand the trauma and the effects of homelessness on children. It should not be up to them, however; it should be up to the Government. What I am asking for is not huge but it would make a huge difference to people in emergency accommodation. I will give the Minister of State an example. I have dealt with a family on the north side of Cork city who were put in emergency accommodation in Cobh, County Cork. A son of theirs was doing his leaving certificate last year. He used to have to get a train and a bus to get to school. That was the time and the distance he was travelling every day to sit his leaving certificate.”
“These parents are not able to cook, they are getting takeaways, they are spending money and there is no support there either. The children end up not going to school, so they lose their friends in school, they lose their friends in sport and they lose their friends in the community. How does that make a child feel? Can the Minister of State imagine a child's mind trying to understand that? It is so traumatising. I have asked repeatedly for those in emergency accommodation to be accommodated close to their schools and the communities they came from. Not having money should never be a reason for a child to miss school. We are not talking about a huge amount of money here. This happens not only in Dublin but also outside of Dublin. There are people taking much longer journeys in rural areas or areas outside of Dublin city.”
“There were children who had a safe, stable home and who did not understand anything about emergency accommodation or its consequences, and then all of a sudden they have to pack up everything they own, take a few toys and probably dump a lot of their stuff because there is nowhere to put it or bring it. Can the Minister of State imagine the traumatising effect that has on children? They can no longer then have sleepovers or have their friends over. Does the Minister of State know why? It is because the whole family is living in one room. They do not live near their local GAA club, soccer club or dance club because they are probably across the city or somewhere else, so they are losing their friends. Added to that is the expense of trying to get to school.”
“I have raised previously the fact that there are children in Cork who are homeless and who are being forced to travel across the city because they are in emergency accommodation. They cannot move schools because if they do so, they could have to move emergency accommodation again, or if the family ever finally do get a house, they do not know where it will be. They are being forced to travel long distances, sometimes getting two or three buses to get to school. This is not right. My understanding is that in Dublin there is a Leap card with €150 on it to get children to and from school. It is a support while they are in emergency accommodation.”
“Will the Government and Minister of State make funding available for them to buy land to put a pitch on? Will the Minister of State fund female sports - soccer, GAA, rugby and others - so they can purchase land to put pitches on? Right now in Glanmire and clubs like it, women are treated like second-class citizens and it is not right.”
“The Minister of State must have no concept of what is happening in women's sports. In Cork we have a club, Glanmire ladies football, that is one of the biggest in the county, if not the country. In 2017, it was a junior B club; in 2018, it won the junior A all-Ireland; and in 2024, it won the intermediate all-Ireland. It has four adult teams but the problem is the boys club has five adult teams. The boys do not have enough pitches, so where does that leave the girls? The president of the club, Brian Lotty, told me this evening they have not been on the pitch this year because they have nowhere to go. This is a club with hundreds of members in one of the biggest areas of Cork city, namely Glanmire, and it does not have any playing pitches. Glanmire ladies football is only an example.”
“They had nowhere to tog out beforehand, the pitch was a disgrace and there were no hot showers afterwards. It would not be accepted in any male sport but it is acceptable for women. The lease has to be worked on. Women need sports; they need pitches.”
“I am very passionate about women's sports. My wife and daughters play camogie. In the constituency I am from, so many young women and girls are successful in sport. Tonight, unfortunately, the soccer team was beaten 2-1 by France and a girl from Knocknaheeny, Denise O'Sullivan, was playing centre field. There are girls like Amy O'Connor and Amy Lee playing Cork senior camogie and winning all-Irelands, Nathalie O'Brien playing in a world cup, basketballer Edel Thornton, Ellie Murray in boxing and Megan Leahy in taekwondo - brilliant young women and girls, but none of them owns a pitch or a facility. As the Minister of State said, if you do not have a lease you cannot get capital funding. A week ago, Wexford went to Clare to play a camogie match.”
“Farranferris has already organised new tenants to come in. This is a real worry for the parents, the staff and the whole community. It has been a troid mhór to get us here and we cannot risk that now. I ask the Minister to instruct the Department to deal with them now. People think of the north side of Cork as a working-class area. We have Gaelchólaiste MacSuibhne and Gaelchólaiste Mhuire A.G sa Mhainistir Thuaidh. There are Gaelscoileanna in Glanmire, Ballincollig and Blarney. We want to promote the language, Minister.”
“Unfortunately, I stand up here today and I cannot give my speech as Gaeilge but thanks to Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers in Farranferris my two daughters can. A funny story; last Sunday I watched the Cork hurlers play Kilkenny on TG4. My wife and my daughter could understand it, but I was struggling to get bits of words. Is it not great that my wife and my two daughters have done something now that I cannot do? I am very proud of that. They brought the Irish language back to Assumption Road, where it always was. The problem is that it is one of the few DEIS Gaelscoileanna in the State. In 2022, after a long campaign, a design team was appointed. Here we are now in 2026 and they have heard nothing from the design team since 2025. The big issue for Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers is that in 2027 its lease with Farranferris will expire.”
“His landlord did not want to sell the property through the tenant in situ scheme. He said it would take too long and he could not trust the Government would not pull the funding as it did last year. Where is he going to go? He is 60 years of age. He has worked all his life and the Government is driving him into homelessness. I know a mother with five children living in one bedroom in a hotel. There are people in Edel House, in the family hub, and in bed and breakfast all over Cork. Where is the hope? Will the Minister of State give these people hope today? Right now, they do not believe the Government. It is letting them down.”
“How can this Government stand over that? There are adults who see no light at the end of the tunnel. Every now and then a backbencher or a Minister might say people in emergency accommodation are refusing houses. I will give the Minister of State some of the figures. In December, there were three refusals in Cork out of 524 individuals in long-term homelessness. These are facts. These are individuals who have been homeless longer than six months. Government Deputies come in here and try to blame everyone else, such as homeless people and the councils. They say it is not the Government’s fault but it is. It is the Government's job. It is stripping people of hope. People are looking to the Minister of State for hope. Where is the hope? I know a man who is 60 plus. He is eight years on the housing list.”
“Can he answer that question for me? Why will the Government not do it? This Government is choosing to give tax breaks to the wealthy and the vulture funds and to leave ordinary families struggling to put a roof over their head, in emergency accommodation or at risk of homelessness. I am from Cork and the homeless figures there are at an all-time high. According to the previous chief executive’s report, there are 524 individuals in homeless accommodation in Cork longer than six months. Can the Minister of State imagine that there are children who do not remember anything but being in emergency accommodation? How is that right? For the love of God, how can the Minister of State stand over that? I know a family who are three years - 36 months - in emergency accommodation. How can the Minister of State stand over that?”
“A freedom of information request I put in stated that the cost of keeping a family in emergency accommodation outside of Dublin is €55,000 a year and it costs more in Dublin. We are bringing forward a solution but the Government’s answer is to only give local authorities €11,000 when it knows they need more than €30,000. The mind boggles. The Government spends €55,000 to keep one family in emergency accommodation when if it gave local authorities an extra €20,000, they could get that family out. According to the National Homelessness Action Committee NHAC, there are 6,206 individuals in long-term homelessness. That is families, couples and single individuals. There are 4,251 empty council homes right now. We could end long-term homelessness if the Government wanted to. Why does the Minister of State not do it?”
“The Government talks an awful lot about how the Opposition does not bring forward solutions. We are sick and tired of bringing forward solutions. The Minister of State spoke about working together. We want to work together. We want to end long-term homelessness and get children out of emergency accommodation and into a safe, sustainable home with a roof over their head somewhere they can build a life. We want to stop the trauma. That is what we want to do. The Minister of State said that is what the Government wants to do. The Government has shot down everything we have we proposed. Every week I ask for an increase in funding to return vacant boarded-up council houses to use. It is the simplest way to deliver housing quickly. Every week the Minister, Deputy Browne, refuses to give the money. He said that at the housing committee.”
“It is making the job of SENOs impossible. A teacher's job is to lead a classroom and to ensure that the curriculum is taught. The job of the SNA is to ensure that children can follow. It is a simple system but it works, because SNAs are there to support the children who need it. A child in fourth class spoke to me about his full-time SNA. There are five children in the class who have been diagnosed with autism and ADHD. The child in question said that his classroom was crazy when the SNA was out for one day. The students learnt nothing that day. The teacher could not bring them out on a movement break, spend time with them or teach properly. That was one day without an SNA. I know the cuts have been postponed and are being reviewed. They should be abolished. It is more SNAs that we need.”
“The Minister and the Taoiseach are quick to blame the NCSE for implementing the policy, but the Government wrote that policy. I have correspondence from the Minister which states that the Department does not believe in giving SNA support to children in fifth and sixth class because they might be refused it in secondary school. I have that in writing from the Minister. The Minister and Taoiseach stated that this is not their policy and that they did not what was happening. The best one was the reference to bad communication. What a load of bluff. The Government is punishing vulnerable children on the off-chance that they may not have supports when they get into secondary school. In the context of the cuts relating to SNAs, the Government is failing parents, schools, SNAs and, most importantly, children.”
“I listened to the Minister's comments yesterday. I cannot express how angry and frustrated SNAs, principals, teachers, parents and SENOs are. What the Government, including the Taoiseach, is trying to do is gaslight schools, parents and SNAs. The Government's policy is to blame everyone else. The buck stops here. I was in the Chamber two weeks ago when this matter was highlighted for the Taoiseach and the Minister. They doubled down at that point. Now, they are saying "We did not know the cuts were going to be this bad or that the review were going to be so severe." They did know, however, because we raised the matter. I raised it with the Minister two weeks ago. The Minister and the Taoiseach stated that they cannot understand the NCSE's approach. The NCSE is implementing Government policy.”
“They went to the Mercy University Hospital accident and emergency department, which is the one place the HSE do not want people to go because accident and emergency departments are out the door already with overcrowding. This Government's inability to tackle SouthDoc and keep the clinic in Blackpool open is driving more people into accident and emergency departments. The people of the northside deserve to have an out-of-hours service. People are waiting weeks to see a GP. People with a medical card should not be treated like second-class citizen. Everyone has a right to attend a GP. I ask the Minister for that commitment today.”
“They got an appointment within half an hour and they were in and out within 20 minutes after my daughter got what she needed. They were private patients. The service is not open to people with medical cards, who have to wait weeks to get an appointment with a doctor. They have to travel over to the Kinsale Road on the southside if they cannot get an appointment in Blackpool and then they cannot get access to NorthDoc because they are on medical cards. This is not good enough. People should have a right to attend GP services out of hours. Does the Minister know what else is happening? Some people cannot afford to go over to the southside and have told me they could not afford a taxi. What did they do?”
“For six years, SouthDoc, which provides the out-of-hours service in Cork, has done everything to remove its offices from the northside. In 2021, following a very strong public campaign, we got SouthDoc on the northside reopened. However, in the past number of years, services have been reduced. In January, a miracle happened. SouthDoc in Blackpool reopened. The reason was that the tender is due at the end of this month, so it was reopened because SouthDoc wants to get the tender again. The service is not going out to public tender; it is being renewed. I want a guarantee from the Minister that SouthDoc in Blackpool will remain open and will not be shut down next month. Another out-of-hours service, a private one called NorthDoc, has opened. My wife and daughter had to use it last weekend.”
“Will the Tánaiste intervene on behalf of the Government and ensure mediation goes ahead because the community is angry and frustrated that it is not being listened to? All it is asking for is mediation and that its voice be heard.”
“There is an active travel proposal for Knockfree and Knockpogue avenues, Farranree, in my constituency. The residents support the majority of the elements, including safety measures, the removal of roundabouts and the renewal of roads and footpaths, but they object to certain elements. At the moment they are protesting and have stopped the work. The Taoiseach himself said there needs to be more dialogue with the residents. Sinn Féin councillors Kenneth Collins and Michelle Gould brought a motion to Cork City Council that was supported by some other councillors but it was voted down by Government councillors. We believe the residents in the community must be heard and mediation is the best path. The residents have agreed to independent mediation.”
“Fine Gael objected on Cork City Council. I refer to a former Lord Mayor, Des Cahill. Go away and check it out. Deputies are coming in here making statements around councillors, but its Lord Mayor did the same in Cork.”
“Patrick’s Bridge and Christy Ring Bridge and just kept people in traffic for much longer. Until we have a proper traffic plan and until people are allowed to work from home, workers will face impossible commutes. This is a workers’ rights issue, but it is much bigger than that. It is about families and people, and this Government’s attitude must change when it comes to workers’ rights.”
“Right now, there are no solutions to the gridlock in Cork and based on what other Deputies have said it is the same right across the State. Every city and every town has huge issues but the Government's attitude to workers' rights is shockingly poor. We need solutions. The Government will suggest using public transport but the bus service is a joke. When they turn up, they are not on time if they turn up at all. We are talking about the northern ring road which will not be built for ten or 15 years and the northern distributor road will be another ten years. That means ten more years of gridlock in Cork because of this Government. No good comes from people sitting in their cars for hours on end. We brought in a traffic plan in Cork that actually made matters worse. It stopped the right turn over St.”
“For families remote working can be life exchanging and it has been life changing for many. It has meant they are able to juggle the responsibilities of work and family life. We know that women are often excluded from the workplace because of these issues. Allowing people to work from home is not allowing them to take it handy or to doss but what it means is they are able to have work-life balance and a home-life balance. Many people still have childcare but the difference is that at 5 o'clock they can finish rather than commuting to collect their children and then commuting back home. It makes a real difference to people's lives. I represent a constituency covering part of Cork city which has gridlock with traffic. Allowing people to work from home will get them out of cars and get cars off the road. It is a win right across the board.”
“The Government is getting ordinary people who are trying to buy a house into bidding wars against vulture funds. It is not right; it is all wrong. We know people have a limited amount of money, but these vulture funds have no limits. They can do what they want. They can outbid anyone. I will finish off with this. In my constituency of Cork North Central, from the north side all the way down to Glanmire, one in every ten houses is bought by non-owner-occupiers.”
“They got a mortgage, but the mortgage is not enough to buy a house. She said they applied for a mortgage, got it and it would not even buy them a shed. They did everything right and look where it got them. They worked hard. They have jobs. They tried to do everything right. It was the same last week with the new rental Bill. The Government has a fascination with vulture funds, investment funds and cuckoo funds, but what about ordinary people? Does the Minister know what is happening? I looked at Daft.ie today. I challenge the Minister to go online and look at it. A house in my area, in Farranree, was on sale for €225,000. Does the Minister know what it sold for? A house in a working-class estate of old council houses that are 75 or 80 years old sold for €320,000, or €95,000 more than the original asking price.”
“I was contacted by a lady this week. Her relationship broke down and she lost her job. She said: "I’m left there working 2 jobs while taking care of my 4yo full time and will have to resort to homelessness if I don’t get help." She does not get any tax breaks, yet the vulture funds, based abroad, come in here and buy up second-hand homes. They then go to rent a home back to this woman at huge rents she cannot even afford. She is working two jobs to try to keep a roof over her and her child's head. She pays tax on the income from both of those jobs, but the vulture funds the Government let in here go tax-free on the money that lady is giving them. How can that be right? Another woman contacted me. Herself, her partner and her two kids are living in a room in her parents' house.”
“You have children going to special schools and classes all over the county because there are not places where they are from. I take the point made earlier but I am a TD for Cork North-Central and I know of children going to Cork East, Cork North-West and Cork South-Central. They are travelling from Knocknaheeney to Carrigaline and to Macroom. That is what is happening on the ground.”
“This goes back to the Minister of State's point about planning. We welcome extra resources, special classes and special schools. I spoke to a principal yesterday. St. Killian's School wants to build an additional school as it is full to capacity and there is a need for extra places. I know of a child in Cork and we are in February now but he has no school place. How can a child have no school place? I hear about all these announcements but what is happening on the ground is children being left behind. The Minister of State is talking about planning. The principals of the special schools must be included in decision-making, planning and engagement because they are the people who are on the ground and know what is happening. I have a final point in relation to Bweeng.”
“One SNA who contacted me said she loves her school and the children. As a mother herself, she cannot understand why the decision is being made. One parent said to me that there is no inclusion without support. Parents feel let down.”
“Like other Deputies, I have seen the same situation in my constituency. Bweeng National School in County Cork is losing two SNAs. Those are vital posts. The Minister of State made a statement about all the things the Government is doing. On the ground, these reviews are leading to cuts. A number of schools in Cork city and county are losing SNAs. The Minister of State referred to the progress that the Government is making. The reason we are getting extra SNAs and SETs is that for years there was a shortage. The Government is only playing catch-up. At the same time, the Minister of State telling us how great the Government is. The reason there has been an increase is that previous Governments did not hire enough SNAs. I am deeply concerned about the impact of the current situation.”
“I have asked the Minister straight questions. At least, we should get answers to those questions. The Minister said a while ago that there will be a review in 12 months. If that review does not show an improvement in matters, will the Government fall on its sword, admit it is wrong and at least let the Opposition bring forward solutions? I asked three other questions about the rise in rents, the rise in evictions and the rise in homelessness. These are questions I am looking for an answer to.”
“In 12 months' time, after this has come in, if rents, evictions and child homelessness increase, will the Government fall on its sword and admit it was wrong?”
“The Minister and the Ministers of State are telling us the Bill will help to solve the housing crisis and homelessness emergency and provide additional homes. We do not believe it will do so. We believe the result will be the opposite. We were told we were wrong by the previous Ministers, Deputy O'Brien, Simon Coveney and Eoghan Murphy. They brought in policies and told us we were all wrong and these would fix them. The Government is coming back here again now telling us we are wrong again when there are over 5,000 children homeless tonight, and that is not even counting the hidden homeless. Can we have straight answers to straight questions? The Minister, Deputy Browne, said there will be a review in 12 months after this legislation comes in to see how it operates.”
“The Minister of State said no one has a monopoly on compassion. I have a couple of questions for him and the Minister. How many children must become homeless before they admit their policies are wrong and are contributing to making homelessness worse? It is a straightforward question. Will they give a commitment that this Bill will not drive up rents? Everyone on this side of the Chamber and every expert who presented to the housing committee said it will but the Government is saying we are all wrong. Will they give a commitment that the Bill will not drive up notices to quit and evictions over the coming months? Will they give a commitment that the Bill will reduce homelessness? None of us believes any of those claims. I have asked direct, straight and hard questions.”
“I do not know what I would do if I was in that position as a father knowing that there was nowhere for my children to go. Jesus Christ, God forgive me for cursing. How could any man or woman cope with that? How many children must become homeless before the Minister and the Government accept their policies are wrong? It is not just that they are wrong and not delivering, the policies are the problem because vested interests, vulture funds, speculators and profit are being put before ordinary, hard-working people who just want to have a safe home. How many children must become homeless?”
“I will ask the Minister a straight question, which I asked Cork City Council, namely, who is going to give them a house? They are willing to pay, but as for the tenant in situ scheme, earlier the Minister, Deputy Browne, said he was looking to provide hope. Where is the hope for them? The Government also talks about preventing people going into emergency accommodation and preventing homelessness. The one thing that was working was the tenant in situ scheme and the Government broke it by modifying it. The representatives of the Government come in here and make promises to people. The only promises that this Bill will deliver will be increased rent, increased evictions and increased homelessness. I will finish with this. I swear to God I could talk about this all night because of the people I deal with every week.”
“I have the document that says that on 4 April last year, the Government pulled the scheme. Their landlord sold their property. They got €10,000 from the credit union to buy a mobile home to put in the back garden of a friend who lives just outside the city. They have two daughters, 11 and 13 years old. They told me about the shame the father has. He is a man and he is working. His wife is working and they have two kids and they are living in a mobile home. This is because the Government pulled the tenant in situ scheme. Granted, the Government reinstated it afterwards with new rules and regulations, which they would have still qualified for, but the landlord was so sick of waiting around for this Government that he sold the property and they were evicted.”
“I am not sure the Government gets it. People now have notices to quit and that is an eviction notice. "Notice to quit" is the nice way of putting it. It is an eviction notice. They are not all going to hit on 1 March. They are going to hit in April, May, June, July - right up the whole summer. We will see a steady increase in the number of people becoming homeless. These will be more and more families. Even if you have a job, there is no security that you will be able to find somewhere to rent. I hold clinics on Mondays and I am now so busy that I am booking people two weeks in advance to see me. A couple came in to me last Monday. They told me that last year, their property was to be bought through the tenant in situ scheme. Happy days. Then the Government pulled it last April.”
“She was a lovely lady, a vibrant young woman. The weight of homelessness, the weight of not being able to provide a roof for your child, the weight of always being short of money and I suppose a thousand other things, because when you are in such a desperate situation - everything then combines on you. I was talking to that man. He works in the building line, he is in sport, hurling, mixed martial arts. He is a man's man, you would say. He cried to me on Christmas week because he had nowhere for his three-year-old child, his young son, and himself to go to. Jesus, this is what we are dealing with. The Ministers say this Bill will improve things. I do not believe it will. When will it improve things? We have seen an increase in evictions since the Government announced it was bringing in this Bill on 1 March.”
“I know people who have done three years, three Christmases in emergency accommodation, people with children - Santa Claus. Some people might not get this but in Cork, and I am sure nationally now, we see a drop in homelessness by a small bit in December. I know some of the people. If they have kids, they try to go home or get into a friend's house so that their children can have Santa Claus. In January, they have to go back into the emergency accommodation. I am dealing with a man whose partner died tragically by suicide last summer. She was on the verge of a home being bought by the tenant in situ scheme and tragically she died. He now is trying to raise their three-year-old son. He contacted me over Christmas. I had to go up to him because he was so upset. I was seriously worried for him. Cork City Council knew his ex-partner.”
“He did door staff and worked in bars, nightclubs and fast food restaurants late at night. The doors close at half past 11, so he is sleeping in his car. Then if you are not engaging with the emergency accommodation, you are not classified as homeless. It is a catch-22. Because you cannot get in somewhere to put down your head, you are not homeless. How is that right? I spoke to a girl a while ago who is in accommodation and she and the other people in there believe the accommodation is not fit for inhabitants. It is homelessness services. She believes HIQA, or someone like HIQA, should be brought in to audit these properties. Where is their dignity? She is there with a young child. She has been in there for over a year.”