Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Homelessness is one of the biggest crises facing us today. Approximately 5,000 people are homeless and according to Focus Ireland, seven new people report each day. This is an increase of 88% in rough sleepers. In addition, there also has been a huge rise in the number of people using the homeless services provided by the Peter McVerry Trust, Simon and Focus Ireland. This year there was a cut of €4.5 million, or 10.7%, in the Dublin homelessness service's budget. Only a tiny number of new public social housing units are being delivered and approved housing bodies are struggling to find credit. At present, 100,000 people are in mortgage distress and approximately 29,000 are in rent-to-buy schemes. These figures can be combined with the 112,000 people who are on the housing waiting list and if one considers those in the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, or in receipt of rent supplement, a further 110,000 are not properly housed. Recent cuts to rent supplement have added to the threat of homelessness and, in addition, some landlords under RAS have been seeking to take back properties even though contracts are in place. The local authorities cannot cope with the numbers and are even suggesting to people that they should report to its homeless section.

While it is a terrible tragedy to lose one's home, to end up in a bed-and-breakfast or homeless shelter with one's family, away from services and community support such as schools, compounds an already tragic situation. The Government made quite a fanfare of rededicating itself to a deadline of ending long-term homelessness and rough sleeping by 2016. I have welcomed this, as it is a realisable goal and a good target to set. It should be a priority for the Government to do so. While this may be a priority for the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, it certainly is not for the Government at large. All the major players in tackling homelessness agree the solution is a political one, which requires political will and the dedication to put funds where they are needed. Allowing homelessness to spiral further out of control is more costly in the long term than dedicating funds to reach the target set for 2016. The Minister of State has rightly referred to a housing-led approach but this does not appear to be the course being followed, certainly not in a sustainable fashion that meets the needs of those emerging from homelessness.

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