{"id":22808,"date":"2021-08-19T10:20:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22808"},"modified":"2021-08-20T11:26:03","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T15:26:03","slug":"sinn-fein-calls-for-independent-inspections-of-homeless-accommodation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22808","title":{"rendered":"Sinn F\u00e9in Calls For Independent Inspections Of Homeless Accommodation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Rough sleeper in a shop doorway (PA Archive\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) would be given new powers to inspect all homeless accommodation, under new legislation proposed by Sinn F\u00e9in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plan, announced on Thursday by Sinn F\u00e9in TD, Eoin \u00d3 Broin, comes days after the chief executive of Dublin City Council suggested that homeless tents should be removed from the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr \u00d3 Broin said that Hiqa, an independent body currently charged with inspecting and reviewing health and social care in Ireland, was the appropriate body to take on these new powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that the body would be able to inspect public and private emergency accommodation, as well as direct provision centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are the best placed organization and it is much quicker to give them the powers, rather than set up a new inspectorate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking about the current oversight regime of homeless accommodation, the Sinn F\u00e9in housing spokesperson said: \u201cThere is very little inspection, virtually none during Covid, and it is not independent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the reasons people sleep rough is because there are issues and concerns with some of the emergency accommodation that is out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview on Sunday with Newstalk, Dublin City Council CEO, Owen Keegan, said: \u201cWe don\u2019t think people should be allowed to sleep in tents when there\u2019s an abundance of supervised hostels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the sight of tents gave Dublin an \u201cedginess\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr \u00d3 Broin said the comments were \u201cunfortunate\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said his party would be introducing the Bill as early as possible in the next D\u00e1il term \u2014 and urged the Government to back it.<\/p>\n

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