“We need to remember that this homelessness and housing crisis is not a normal situation, and should not be seen as acceptable on any level” – Simon Communities.
According to the Department of Housing’s figures there are 3,848 homeless children across 1,726 families, while the total number of homeless reached 10,338 in August 2019.
“A review should look at both the successes and the things that need to change ... This includes actively building social housing, taxing those who hoard building land and better protecting the rights of tenants facing eviction” – Mike Allen.
“Rebranding private rent as social housing has not worked. Removing homeless families from official data as a policy response has not worked. Rebuilding Ireland has not worked” – Social Justice Ireland.
“The policy of the past 25 years has led to a chronic under-supply of real social housing. It has resulted in the homelessness crisis we are now experiencing,” warns Fr Peter McVerry.
“The rising cost of rent is the main source of new homeless cases, and our worry is that we will see even more households losing their homes as the situation worsens”, Pat Doyle, CEO, Peter McVerry Trust.
Children aged under four are now the single largest age group experiencing homelessness, with Census 2016 identifying 765 homeless preschoolers.
Peter McVerry Trust hopes to see rapid-build housing play a bigger role in addressing homelessness in the future.
“We need consistent monitoring to ensure that we really get to the crux of this issue and stop more families from becoming homeless in the first place” – Focus Ireland.
“We believe if the legislation had been passed as many as twenty of the families who became homeless in Dublin every month would still have a home” – Sr Stan.
We are committed to the creation and development of resourced communities to enable and empower people to fulfil their potential – Albert Perris, CEO of Respond Support.
While the transformative policies of Early Childhood Care and Education, social housing provision and energy retrofitting of homes were welcome, according to the society, significantly greater public investment is required over the longer term.
But many of the commitments are "unclear, with no timescale or finances named" says Focus Ireland.
