Public sector worker living in emergency accommodation has to share bed with teen son, Dáil told

A woman who is working in the public sector has been in emergency accommodation for four years and now has to share a bed with her teenage son, the Dáil has been told.

People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith raised the case on Tuesday evening and asked “what sort of a State is doing that to people?”

“They won’t give her income supports, she can’t afford to pay the rents and she’s not entitled to go on the housing list,” Ms Smith said.

The Dublin South Central TD added there was a “huge amount” of people and families now in “that squeezed middle” and were not being represented.

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Ms Smith was speaking as Sinn Féin put forward a motion condemning Budget 2024′s housing measures.

There were sharp exchanges in the Dáil between the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien and Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin.

Mr O’Brien said Sinn Féin denied progress was being made in housing and “continue to block progress”. The minister said he wondered why Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh was not part of the party’s speakers for the motion, “as the most recent objector to social and affordable housing in this Dáil adding to a long list of Sinn Féin deputies right the way across the country”.

The Irish Independent reported in recent days that Mr Ó Snodaigh had objected to the proposed development of more than 200 housing units on a derelict site in his constituency of Dublin South Central in part due to the “shadowing” it could cast over neighbouring social housing.

Mr Ó Broin shouted across the chamber that the minister was misleading the House and there were 4,000 children homeless under his watch despite claims progress was being made, adding “shame on you minister”.

Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said he would adjourn the House and that Mr Ó Broin was taking in part in “constant, strategic heckling”.

Mr Ó'Fearghaíl said facts could be provided to him and that if anybody had misled the House he would take the “appropriate action”.

“This is getting more like Punch and Judy,” Mr Ó Fearghaíl added, as there were further exchanges between the minister and Sinn Féin TDs.

Concluding the debate, Mr Ó Broin said Mr Ó Snodaigh did not object to the social and affordable housing but made “two asks” – to include three-bed units and changes to the design to make it tiered where it egregiously overshadows existing two-storey houses.

“That is not an objection,” he said. “That is good housing policy and good planning and Deputy O’Brien knows that and yet chooses to misrepresent my colleagues.”