THE GOVERNMENT HAS ‘no clear plan in place’ to provide housing for Ireland’s ageing population, a charity has warned.

ALONE is noting that “a lack of single person accommodation, rising rent prices and cuts to grants for essential home maintenance” is already causing problems for older people trying to find suitable accommodation, something that could worsen AS the number of over 65s in Ireland grows.

This number is expected to rise from 12 per cent of the population in 2012 to 21 per cent in 2041.

It comes as the charity for older people launches a nationwide housing campaign calling on local government candidates to focus on the housing needs of older generations, and is calling on public to ask the candidates to commit to a pledge.

“We are asking local Government to commit to releasing unused properties and land to ALONE and other social housing providers,” CEO Sean Moynihan said, “so that we can provide homes to the most vulnerable older people in our society.”

4,765 older people are in need of a home and there are over 4,000 boarded up homes around the country.

Figures last week revealed that out of a total of 4,652 homes “potentially” suitable for social housing in NAMA ownership, 518 have been transferred to local authorities.

Another 166 units are expected to become available shortly.

Read: Here’s how many houses Nama has handed over for social housing >