Politics

Dáil committee on housing, homelessness to be set up

Whips meet to discuss proposal by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh and agree to proceed

Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh: “If the Dáil can establish a sub-committee on Dáil reform in the absence of a government then there was no reason why a sub-committee on the housing crisis cannot be established.” File photograph: Sara Freund/The Irish Times
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh: “If the Dáil can establish a sub-committee on Dáil reform in the absence of a government then there was no reason why a sub-committee on the housing crisis cannot be established.” File photograph: Sara Freund/The Irish Times
Sarah Bardon
Thu Apr 07 2016 - 19:30

A new Dáil committee is to be established to examine the issues of housing and homelessness.

The whips met today to discuss a proposal by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh and agreed to proceed.

The committee will look at the homelessness crisis and will invite in witnesses to give evidence.

The Dáil will formally agree the plan next week but it is understood the committee’s work will begin even without a new government being formed.

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Mr Ó Snodaigh said: “One of the first acts of the Dáil was to establish a sub-committee on Dáil reform and while this is something Sinn Féin supports, we believe that other issues , including the housing crisis, demanded greater priority than the issue, though laudable, of Dáil reform.

“If the Dáil can establish a sub-committee on Dáil reform in the absence of a government then there was no reason why a sub-committee on the housing crisis cannot be established.”

It also agreed the Dáil would meet for three days the week after next.