Homelessness figures for June disturb Adams

SINN Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has described the homelessness figures for June as “deeply disturbing and evidence of a government and of a Housing Minister failing to properly address the crisis in housing and homelessness.”

“Minister Eoghan Murphy has now been in office for a full year. Despite claims of progress the housing figures for last month are evidence of a Minister failing to do his job.

‘Last June there were 115 homeless adults in the North East region of whom 110 were in Louth. There were 14 families and 40 children,’ Teachta Adams said.

‘12 months later the number of homeless in the North East region has jumped to 129, of whom 125 are in Louth. There are now 24 families and 54 children.

‘ This is a significant increase which would have been greater but for the Minister’s instruction to Councils to exclude some categories of homeless on spurious grounds.’

Across the state there are now 9,872 homeless persons – an increase of almost two thousand on this time last year.

‘June has seen increases in the numbers of families and children accessing emergency accommodation in Louth and in the state.

‘ The reality is that without the right kind of action this crisis is not going to end. The government, for example, should move to amend the Residential Tenancies Act.