HOMELESS CRISIS GETS WORSE.. UP 24% IN A YEAR
Sinn Fein blasts figures hike as 9,872 in emergency accommodation
THE homeless crisis continues to deepen with the latest figures showing 9,872 people are in emergency accommodation.
Sinn Fein’s Eoin O Broin said the Department of Housing’s June figures prove the situation is getting worse with an additional 30 families are homeless.
He added that despite a range of measures taken by the Government there is still more people without a home now than at this time last year.
Mr O Broin said: “The June 2018 figures released today show the number of homeless individuals stands at 9,872.
“This is an increase of 26 people on May 2018 and a yearly increase of 1,931. This is an annual increase of 24%.
“There are 28 more homeless adults than May 2018. There are now 6,048 homeless adults across the State.
“This represents an increase of 1,002 people on the same month last year. This is an increase of 20%.
“In June 2018 there were 30 additional homeless families in emergency accommodation.
“The number of families accessing emergency accommodation services in June was 1,754. This is 389 more than the same month last year. This is an increase of 22%.
“While the number of homeless children is down marginally on May 2018 by two to 3,824 this is still 929 additional children compared to June 2017. This is an increase of 32%.
“The crisis isn’t getting better no matter how many hubs are opened. [Housing] Minister [Eoghan] Murphy has been reluctant to take measures to keep people in their homes. This doesn’t necessarily mean more resources.”
Focus Ireland said new figures should not be seen as “normal” or used to justify a “business as usual” response.
The charity added that while there is welcome progress in some areas the Government is still failing to do enough to ease the crisis.
Focus Ireland chief Pat Dennigan said: “We must never allow the constantly rising number of people becoming homeless each month to become the norm and there is a real risk this is starting to happen.
“Only three years ago in June 2015 there were 1,318 children homeless.
“This was seen as shocking at the time but the total has now trebled in only three years to a shameful 3,824.
“The number of homeless families has shot up by 170% in the same period from 650 in June 2015 to 1,754 in June 2018.
“In the last month 92 families in Dublin became newly homeless, this is the highest June figure ever recorded.”
it is truly shocking that the homeless situation in ireland is far from getting better and in fact is only getting worse.
Latest figures show there are a staggering 9,872 people in emergency accommodation, an increase of 1,931 on last year’s figures.
Despite all the talk and so-called initiatives from the Government there is no evidence these are making inroads into the increasing numbers of people without a home.
There are an additional 30 families in June alone having to avail of such services, bringing the number to 1,754 in June this year.
While the number of homeless children was down marginally by two in May 2018, there are still 929 more than in June of last year.
Reports of families being thrown out of their home for falling behind in mortgage repayments is becoming far too common.
Three years ago there were 1,318 children in emergency accommodation.
At the time this was seen as shocking. Now there are 3,824 yet it is no longer a startling statistic.
The Government’s approach to the problem is clearly not working and not enough effort is being made to ensure people are kept in their homes.
But at the end of the day there are not enough homes and what is needed is a massive affordable house-building programme undertaken by the State or this crisis will go on indefinitely.