I’ve been here for 2wks, going back is not an option
Highly-qualified teacher Mark People with ‘good jobs’ can tells of anguish at living in shed end up on streets says charity
ably since 2014-2015 in terms of the people presenting which is largely due to the rise in families.
“We have more children than ever before presenting as homeless. In the 2016 census the single largest biggest group is 0 to fouryear-old’s and that really reflects the drastic change in the homeless landscape.
“In 2011 the single biggest category was 31 to 40-year-olds.
“We are also seeing a significant rise in the number of women presenting themselves as often they are single mums.
“But homelessness affects every social demographic in our society. I do believe however, that lowincome families and single-parent families are the ones who are most at risk of homelessnes.
“We are seeing more and more people who are economically homeless.
“We need to ensure that we are preventing as many families as possible becoming homeless and trying to keep them in their own homes.
“In terms of families who are currently homeless we need to do as much as possible for them in terms of their mental and physical well-being and trying to eliminate the trauma as much as we can.” Meanwhile, a mother of two said living in emergency accommodation has had a detrimental effect on her young children,
Michael, four, and 17-month-old Maja.
Kerri O’connor, who became homeless due to unsafe living conditions, said: “I was 19, I went to countless viewings sent countless emails, calls and I’ve never had any luck with anything it was so unbelievably hard I was emailing city council for two years begging them for help to get us somewhere safe and I was constantly ignored and enough was enough so Tusla got involved.
“They gave us a letter to say it wasn’t safe for my kids to live there so they placed us in emergency accommodation on March 19, we went to a B&B in the city where Michael absolutely loved.
“After two months we were moved again to an apartment and this broke my little boy’s heart.
“Thankfully, later a bed in Cork came up. My children are happy, safe and they absolutely love it here.”
I have seen people who are just out of college who can’t get work & end up on streets
PETER MURPHY HOMELESS MOBILE RUN