Plans for new ‘family hubs’ outside Dublin
TEMPORARY family hubs are to be built outside Dublin as the homelessness crisis continues to escalate outside of the capital.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy met with chief executives of local authorities to discuss measures to address the ongoing crisis at a summit in Custom House.
He confirmed the hubs, consisting of prefabricated units in clusters, will be opened in Louth and Galway in conjunction with the Peter McVerry Trust. Mr Murphy admitted there is a “challenge” as problems emerge around the country but said solutions were being applied “far more quickly”.
Among the measures announced is plans for 1,000 social housing apartments in Dublin and increased targeting of homes in possession of banks and other institutions in the hope of providing 1,000 additional units in this way in 2018.
Local authorities will also be forced to publish reports outlining their progress on delivery of social housing units against their targets. Mr Murphy was unable to provide up-to-date figures on the number of social housing units completed or started this year.