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LAST UPDATE | 28 Mar
THE NUMBER OF people living in emergency accommodation increased last month to a record 15,378 people.
According to the latest figures from the Department of Housing, 10,725 adults and 4,653 children were in emergency accommodation in October.
It represents an increase of 92 people, compared to January.
Minister for Housing James Browne has yet to comment on the latest figures, published at 2pm this afternoon.
Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin questioned how long the crisis will continue after the number of people in emergency accommodation has continued to rise over three successive governments.
Social Democrats’ housing spokesperson Rory Hearne described February’s figures as a “social catastrophe and a personal tragedy for each individual family involved”. He said an emergency response to the housing crisis was necessary to tackle the issue.
Labour’s housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan said the numbers are “running away” from government. He has today written to the minister demanding better attention to the issue and for certain prevention measures to be implemented.
Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan has called on Housing Minister James Browne to fulfil the commitment by government to house long-term homeless families. He said that the current situation is solvable, but would not be consider acceptable ten years ago.
“We believe that it is possible to reduce and then end homelessness if the right actions are taken,” he said.
CEO of Dublin Simon Community Catherine Kenny said the number of people in emergency accommodation is “nothing but a great source of shame” and a”national embarrassment”.
She questioned whether homeless people and families had been forgotten by government, and called Browne to quickly implement policies that will lead to better prevention and assistance programmes.
The National Simon Communities director, Ber Grogan, said today’s figures are an example of the “glaring disconnect within government regarding housing, homelessness and prevention strategies”.
Depaul’s chief executive David Carroll said he is saddened by today’s figures. He said the homelessness crisis “continues unabated”, calling for more investment in prevention strategies.
Both charity leaders brought attention to recently proposed changes to the tenant-in-situ scheme, where local authorities purchase properties from landlords when residents are facing eviction provided they were already on
The changes proposed by the minister, which has been paused since the end of the last government, would alter the criteria for when local councils can purchase the properties.
Grogan, Dennian and Kenny referenced these changes, claiming that the implementation of the proposed changes will add to the growing number of people who are living in emergency accommodation.
Hearne, Sheehan and Ó Broin today called on the minister to reinstate the tenant-in-situ scheme and not direct local councils to implement any changes to the eligibility criteria for the supports.
Focus Ireland this week called for more investment into prevention and support schemes after research, conducted by the charity and Trinity College Dublin, found that more than 80% of funding for homelessness went into the maintenance of emergency accommodation.
Similar opposition has been made to reported plans to strip back provisions in legislation creating Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ), which restrict increases to rents and leases in particular areas of the country.
Members of Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) delivered a letter to the recently-appointed CEO of the Housing Agency Martin Whelan today, demanding a renter consultation on the upcoming report regarding the ending of RPZs.
With the report, which will inform Department of Housing decision-making due at the end of this month, the Housing Agency has not consulted CATU, the only tenants union in Ireland, for input.
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