Minister for Housing is accused of ‘misleading the House’
DARRAGH O’Brien is facing calls to correct the Dáil record after being accused of ‘misleading’ the House on homelessness figures.
In the Dáil last month, the Minister for Housing said 42% of those in emergency accommodation were ‘not entitled’ to social housing. However, a report by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive shows that 42% of those in emergency accommodation do not have an active social housing application – as opposed to an eligibility.
Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin has written to the Ceann Comhairle seeking to have the record corrected, insisting Mr O’Brien ‘misled’ the House.
Last month, the Irish Daily Mail revealed Mr O’Brien was seeking to restrict eligibility for emergency accommodation to those with a social housing eligibility, in an apparent bid to ‘massage’ the homeless figures.
The move would potentially remove thousands of people from the homeless figures, but the State would still be required to provide them with a bed.
There was a record 13,531 people in homeless accommodation by the end of January, a rise of 213 from December and 15% higher than a year before. Among them were 9,504 adults, including 197 pensioners. There were also 4,027 children and 1,940 families in emergency accommodation in the last week of January.
In discussions with Cabinet colleagues, Mr O’Brien repeated the claim that 42% of those in emergency accommodation are not eligible for social housing and so have no pathway out of homelessness and should not be counted in the main homeless figures.
Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian O’Callaghan is supporting the Sinn Féin call to have Mr O’Brien correct the Dáil record. Mr O’Callaghan said the minister had been putting forward a ‘misleading narrative’ around the homeless figures.
‘Lots of people who are entitled to be on the social housing waiting list aren’t on it. I’ve raised the issues for years but the minister has chosen not to listen,’ he said.
A spokeswoman for Mr O’Brien said he would not be correcting the Dáil record and that he had not mislead anyone. ‘Minister O’Brien rejects outright the assertion from Deputy Ó Broin that he would deliberately, or otherwise, mislead anyone,’ she added.
‘It’s important to note that it was the Department which sought this information from the Dublin local authorities in the first instance, as local authorities have expressed concerns in relation to exit pathways for those without a legal entitlement to reside in the State, or those who do not qualify for social housing.’
Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe defended his Cabinet colleague, saying he did not believe he had misled the Dáil. ‘I have found Darragh is absolutely on top of the key issues in housing policy and always represents full accuracy. And I believe he answered any question that’s been brought to him factually and correctly,’ he said.
‘O’Brien chooses not to listen’