I welcome the British ambassador and wish everybody, including our guests, a happy Christmas. I wish to use this opportunity to pass a message to the British Government through the ambassador, namely that something urgently needs to be done about the Palestine Action hunger strikers whose lives are in danger because they protested against the genocide in Gaza and are being treated in an absolutely brutal fashion.

Sentiment score: 0.07

I corroborate the call to act on behalf of the Oireachtas TV workers. This issue has been raised with the Government on several occasions. It is shameful that the workers are laid off during the summer and at Christmas, particularly when they are responsible for broadcasting the proceedings in these Chambers. Christmas should be a happy time. For many, it will be a happy and joyful time. As has been said, however, it is a time of very serious challenges, hardship or sadness for many. I include in that the 16,766 people living in emergency accommodation, those who are threatened with homelessness or people who find themselves in crisis housing circumstances. In particular, I refer here to the 5,274 children living in emergency accommodation, 50% of whom are spending their second Christmas in a row in such accommodation. A further 25% are spending their third or fourth Christmas in a row in such accommodation. I want to put a human face on this. Saoirse and her children are spending their second Christmas in emergency accommodation. Her son is refusing to stay with her in the accommodation because it is not a home or a proper place to live. Now mother and son are increasingly separated. She has tried to take her life twice because, as she explained to me while bawling crying in front of me, she blames herself for her homelessness plight, which, of course, she is not to blame for. Julianne and her two children, aged 15 and ten, are spending their second Christmas sharing one bedroom. She is sharing a bed with her ten-year-old son and her daughter is refusing to go to school. Julianne is also trying to hold down a job. Caoimhe and her three children, agreed nine, four and one, are in their second period of homelessness. Her nine-year-old, her daughter, who is becoming increasingly isolated from her friends because she cannot have people over, has asked on her Christmas list for a place called home. I could add cases of women who are experiencing domestic violence and who are terrified of their partners but who have nowhere to go because there are no three-bedroom houses available. What is the Government going to do about these people? Some 32% of those who are homeless are homeless because they were evicted from the private rental sector because the Government lifted the eviction ban. Many of the people I have mentioned could have their cases resolved if there were enough three-bedroom houses available. Developers and Government have prioritised one- and two-bedroom units instead of building family homes or buying them, if necessary, to keep children out of homelessness. Policy change could address the misery and hardship many people, particularly children, are suffering.

Sentiment score: -0.13

We are not.

Sentiment score: 0.00

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.

Sentiment score: -0.07