State funding for homeless services falls 20%

Government funding for homeless services has fallen by almost 20% in only three years with Dublin bearing the brunt of the cutbacks.

According to figures released by the Department of the Environment, in 2010 the Government provided housing authorities with almost €55m to spend on the cost of homeless accommodation and related services. By 2013 that total had fallen to €45m. The same amount is being pledged for next year.

Unsurprisingly given its population density and the extent of the homeless problem there, Dublin receives the lion’s share of the funding for homeless accommodation — in 2010 it received over €40m or 75% of the total.