Values of ‘Poor Law’ back in vogue

Ireland is witnessing a return to the values of the ‘Poor Law’ times where a person must be completely destitute before they get any help from the State, the founder of Focus Ireland Sr Stanislaus Kennedy has warned.

Sr Stan said people who become homeless are expected to live in conditions unacceptable for others in society

Speaking at the launch of the charity’s annual report, Sr Stan said there is a rising number of people at risk of losing their homes and there will be a deepening homeless crisis in the coming years unless decisive action is urgently taken.

Cuts to rent supplement, she said, were causing some people to become homeless and blocking a route out of homelessness for others.

“This problem has been made worse by the rent supplement system which sees people actually being forced into homelessness before they can gain access to this payment which is meant to be a key safety net. Our staff see people deteriorate before their eyes each week they are homeless. We support them as best we can but being homeless still causes terrible damage to families and single people.”

Focus Ireland called on the Government to set a national target of 1,600 units to be provided in both 2012 and 2013, specifically for people who are homeless.

Joyce Loughnan, chief executive of Focus Ireland, said a target had been set by the Dublin Homeless Region Executive of 900 units to be provided in Dublin for this year. But she said there needed to be a target of another 700 units set for the rest of the country if we are to achieve the aim of ending long-term homelessness by the end of 2013.

“It is vital for the Government to ensure that Nama delivers a real social dividend and plays a key role in solving homelessness. There is widespread support for this approach as a survey carried out for Focus Ireland found 85% of the public agree that empty houses under Nama should be made available for use, at a reasonable rent, to individual and families who are homeless.”

During 2011, Focus saw a 15% rise in the numbers benefiting from the charity’s support services to 7,459.

The charity also saw a sharp rise of 39% in the number of people using its advice and information services in Dublin, up from 1,800 to 2,500 last year.

“The good news is we supported just over 300 households who were homeless or at risk, to secure a home last year though our tenancy support and settlement services and housing programmes,” Ms Loughnan said.