Charity demands referendum on 'the right to a home'

Focus Ireland is calling for a referendum on 'the right to a home' early in the lifetime of the next Government.

The charity has launched a five-point plan to tackle homelessness, which it says must be a key part of the Programme for Government.

It maintains that a referendum may be needed to protect families from vulture funds buying their homes and evicting them.

Focus Ireland said that there are more than 1,800 children in nearly 900 families who are homeless in Ireland.

The plan also includes commitments and deadlines to end family homelessness, long-term homelessness and to build at least 40,000 social houses over the next five years.

Spokesperson for the charity, Roughan Mac Namara, said that meaningful and urgent action is needed to deal with the current crisis.

"We need to move beyond, now, the soundbite sentiments of 'everyone wants homelessness to be tackled and take the firm actions required,

"The key ones include a cast-iron commitment to end family homelessness and a firm deadline to achieve this and also a firm commitment to build, and deliver, and monitor the delivery of 40,000 social homes over the lifetime of the next Government."