Warnings of spike in foreign homeless after Brexit

PREPARATIONS are being made for a possible influx of foreign people ending up homeless in Dublin after Brexit.

Dublin City Council has established a working group to prepare for a possible rise in non-nationals seeking a home, if they are refused entry to the UK.

Assistant chief executive Brendan Kenny said the council had to prepare to cater for an increased demand for services.

It came as a new report shows that lone parents, larger families and non-Irish nationals are more susceptible to losing their homes – around one-third of homeless families in Dublin are non-nationals, the report from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) revealed.

But there are mounting concerns that a hard Brexit will close the UK to migrants seeking a better life, which could result in many choosing to relocate here.

While EU nationals are entitled to social supports including housing, non-EU nationals are not, Mr Kenny said, adding they were entitled to shelter and the city had to be prepared.

“We’re conscious that nobody knows what Brexit will bring, but we’re worried about a possible influx of foreign nationals coming to the country if they cannot go to the UK,” he said. “They are entitled to shelter. They’re [non-EU nationals] only entitled to one night, which means they could come back night after night. We might be getting a handle on homeless families, but this could present a challenge. We just need to be ready.”

His comments come as the latest report into homelessness highlighted that almost one in five families has languished in emergency accommodation for more than 18 months. In 2016 and 2017, a total of 1,878 families accessed services in Dublin for the first time. The average age of children was just seven. A third were aged under four.