Supports to help ‘trapped’ homeless

Measures to assist homeless people, with mental health and addiction problems, to move out of emergency accommodation will be brought to Cabinet next week.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will bring the memorandum on proposed new supports which Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said was aimed at those “trapped” in emergency accommodation.

“Next week, the Taoiseach will bring a memorandum to Cabinet on additional supports we are bringing in for people in emergency accommodation, some of whom are trapped there because we do not know their rights or status,” said Eoghan Murphy.

“Some of them have long-term health needs that are not being met because they are not in the right accommodation.

“All of these new supports will help improve that.”

During a Dáil debate on homelessness yesterday, Eoghan Murphy told TDs it was estimated that 72% of families in emergency accommodation in Dublin were there for less than one year.

The average length of time spent in a homeless hub was half a year, he noted.

“Again, when one meets the families who have gone from a hotel to a hub to a home, one can see and understand the benefit of the trajectory,” Eoghan Murphy told the Dáil.

They should never have been in a hotel. Families who go straight into a hub will get into a social housing home far more quickly as a result which is why we need more hubs as a first and temporary response.

Independent TD Tommy Broughan criticised the Government and the minister for being prepared to pass Brexit measures through the Dáil within a number of hours, but refusing to take “drastic” action to protect up to 10,000 homeless people.

Solidarity/PBP TD Paul Murphy said that one in four TDs are landlords and another Dáil debate without action was taking place.

“The only way out of this loop of Groundhog Day is a mass movement,” said Paul Murphy, calling on protesters to gather in Dublin on March 9.

Our next @_HousingCrisis Dublin Demo is SAT #9thMarch 2pm with 3 meeting points!

✔ @HousingAgencyIE Mount St
✔ GPO, O'Connell Street
✔ City Hall, Dame Street

#HomesforAll #Right2Housing #TravellerHomesMatter #EndDP pic.twitter.com/SFvPL8m8b7

— Homeless & Housing Coalition (@_HousingCrisis) February 13, 2019

The Government released new housing figures yesterday which showed that 4,251 social homes were built last year, a 4% shortfall on its own target.

The figure, when coupled with renovated units, rented properties, and other fixed homes, rises to over 8,000 new social housing units.

Of the 4,251 new social housing builds last year, some 2,022 were by local authorities, 1,388 by approved housing bodies, and 841 homes provided through requirements on new developments.

While this was 4% below target, Eoghan Murphy said that the rate of construction was 85% higher than in 2017.

On RTÉ radio yesterday, Eoghan Murphy also defended some €400m spent on Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) to private sector property owners.

He said money spent on HAP was needed to keep people out of emergency accommodation.

Nonetheless, he admitted that the Government was over-reliant on the private sector.

The Opposition insists the HAP money for private landlords could be better spent by the State in constructing homes.