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Homeless families are being forced to live in a cockroach-infested hotels, it was claimed last night.

Socialist Party TD Ruth Coppinger posted a video on her Facebook page of the squalid emergency accommodation families are being housed in.

She said she was “horrified” at the conditions families with young children are being forced to live in.

The footage shows a cockroach crawling across a dirty and dilapidated shower.

Ms Coppinger captioned the clip: “Video of a cockroach in the shower base of the bathroom in one of the many ‘hotels’ used by the state to house homeless families”.

She added she was astounded Dublin City Council is spending public money to accommodate families in these conditions.

She said: “I’m horrified having seen video evidence of cockroaches in the bedroom and shower of a family in a Dublin hotel receiving ratepayers’ money over a long period.

“How much is being paid to ‘hotels’ who ignore complaints about cockroaches?

“What sort of hotel in this century doesn’t provide TV in rooms? Why is a kettle too much to ask for?”

Ms Coppinger described cases where children are suffering health problems due to the stress of being homeless.

(Image: Gareth Chaney Collins)

She added: “I held a meeting in the Blanchardstown Anti-Austerity Alliance office with 10 local homeless families. Some are living in better conditions than others, but all report bed-wetting and even soiling by their children due to stress.

“Infections of impetigo, eczema and lice are widespread in some accommodation centres.

“Children’s physical and mental wellbeing and their ability to access education is clearly important.

“I am asking Dublin City Council to inspect all premises where they pay for accommodation. I will be asking how much they have paid to where the cockroaches were recorded; if they will carry out unannounced inspections and if they will allow outsiders or media in to view all premises and where they will safely re-house families.”

Coppinger also described paying for the homeless to stay in hotel as “unbelievably wasteful”, with one woman’s room fees costing more than an entire month’s rent allowance.

She said: “Hotels are not appropriate for families, but failing any housing being built, there should be a health and safety threshold. Paying hotels is unbelievably wasteful.

“One woman at the AAA meeting was refused a rent supplement increase and became homeless, but three nights in Dublin West Hotel cost more than her entire rent allowance for the month.”