Charities warn of homeless crisis becoming seen as unsolvable

Charities have warned that the spiralling homeless crisis could become viewed by the public as unsolvable unless the number of people in emergency accommodation is reversed.

The comments came after new figures showed yet another record high number of people experiencing homelessness in April.

The latest monthly report issued by the Department of Housing showed 10,378 people in emergency accommodation in April, including 3,794 children and 1,729 families.

There was an increase of 73 people in the overall total, with under-pressure Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy admitting that "family homelessness continues to be very challenging, particularly in the Dublin area".

According to the figure, two-thirds of the country's homeless population is in the capital, a number that includes 1,284 families.

The South West had the second highest number of families living in emergency accommodation, at 137, but the nationwide scale of the issue was highlighted by the fact that all 26 counties had recorded cases of homelessness in April, including one case in Co Leitrim.

While the crisis is most acute in Dublin, there were 170 people homeless in Kildare and 163 in Louth. There were 409 people recorded as homeless in Cork in April, with 147 in Kerry, 302 in Galway, 257 in Limerick and 106 in Waterford.

Merchants Quay Ireland warned that people must not come to believe that the homeless crisis is a problem that cannot be solved.

CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland Paula Byrne, said:

With each increase in the homeless figures, Ireland risks accepting the level of homelessness in this country as a normality. We should not forget that this crisis can be solved.

Depaul CEO Kerry Anthony echoed the MQI view: "There is a danger with such high numbers that the public may see homelessness as an issue that cannot be solved. That homelessness is simply a part of everyday life. This cannot happen.”

One positive development in the latest figures were a reduction of 27 in the number of homeless children in April, but Barnardos said all children in emergency accommodation needed dedicated supports, in the absence of stable accommodation.

The charity's CEO, Suzanne Connolly, said: "In the absence of real social housing output the Government must provide funding for services and support workers to help families cope and manage these circumstances. The infrastructure needed to support families living in emergency accommodation already exists in the community. But this infrastructure needs resourcing in order to adequately deal with the number of families experiencing homelessness."

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan, said: "Councillors must not take the approach that there is nothing they can do, and that the crisis is a matter for their officials or for the Minister."

The Simon Communities of Ireland said every effort needed to be made to ensure people did not become trapped in emergency accommodation.