“A social housing policy that relies so heavily on the private rented sector can never be the answer to the housing problem.”

Will the small improvements in supports and services have a meaningful impact on families and children living in poverty? Unfortunately, the answer is NO

“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.

More needs to be done, otherwise too many of our children will spend their childhoods going without basics like secure housing, healthy food and suitable clothing.

The high cost of rent is a factor preventing many households from being able to afford a minimum essential standard of living

Package does not address the level of rent supplement and the actions of banks when they repossess the properties of buy-to-let landlords.

“One family a day loses their home and becomes homeless in Dublin alone,” Sr Stan warns.