Following the death overnight of a woman in Cork City, Minister Eoghan Murphy spoke to RTE News at One earlier today. Expressing his regret at the recent deaths, the Minister said:
''These three separate deaths, in very different circumstances and for very different reasons are tragedies for the families involved. I want to again extend my sympathies to them.
It’s also been a very difficult few days for the emergency homeless services and I want to thank them for all their efforts.
Some people have difficulties in their lives that require our assistance and our support, beyond simple shelter or housing needs. Sometimes, no matter what we do, it won’t be enough. But people shouldn’t be dying on the streets. People deserve more dignity than that.
As I have said before we have a crisis when it comes to homelessness.
We’ve been doing intensive work and next week I will be holding an emergency summit with local authority chief executives to explore new options and to see how we can better join up our response across local authorities but also across health and social care supports.
Neither resources nor money nor ideology are an impediment here. A huge amount is being done but clearly more is needed.
Of course the basic supply problem continues and I am currently finalising my Review of Rebuilding Ireland which will be announced shortly and which will have a positive impact here".