The latest homelessness figures confirm that a shameful milestone was reached under the watch of the previous government, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne.
Deputy Hearne, who represents Dublin North-West, said:
“When the previous government was formed in June 2020, there were 8,699 people in homeless emergency accommodation, 2,653 of them children.
“As the country went to the polls at the end of November, there were 15,199 people living in homeless emergency accommodation.
“Shockingly, 4,658 of these are children – a 76 per cent increase in a single term of office.
“We do not live in a country that lacks the resources to deal with this crisis. A single child becoming homeless is unacceptable during successive years of budget surpluses. However, having thousands of homeless children is incomprehensible and scandalous.
“There are measures we should be taking to protect people from the trauma of homelessness. A ban on no-fault evictions should be immediately introduced so that individuals and families paying their rent can stay in their homes.
“The next government needs to take a radically different approach to housing – one that abandons sweetheart deals for vulture funds and developers and instead focuses on ramping up the delivery of social and genuinely affordable homes.
“Having more than 15,000 people homeless is a grim milestone and a damning indictment of failed housing policy by successive governments.
“The Social Democrats will not turn our backs on those suffering because of the housing crisis.”
January 3, 2025