Homeless will feel pain of ‘savage’ cuts

THE planned “savage” cuts under yesterday’s budget will cause a severe deepening of the homeless problem across the country and, furthermore, puts in doubt the future viability of the Governments own homeless strategy.

The warnings came yesterday from a leading charity for homeless, Focus Ireland.

The budget saw a massive €300m cut to social housing provision next year and €400m less for HSE bodies that fund and service, among others, the homeless.

Focus Ireland chief executive Joyce Loughnan said the budget would undo much of the good work achieved in recent years, in issues of homelessness.

Meanwhile, terms of the Tenant Purchase Scheme announced under the last budget and which allows local authority tenants to purchase their homes at a discount is to be improved for 2011.

According to the Minister for Housing Michael Finneran, tenants will be able to avail of a discount of up to 45% on the market price of a house they are eligible to purchase under the scheme.