Focus Ireland 'big busk' raises €270,000 to fight mounting scourge of homelessness 

Niall Breslin and Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland that took place in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre in Dublin. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

Focus Ireland's "Big Busk" surpassed its goal of raising €250,000 for homelessness services when musicians took to the streets, shopping centres and Irish Rail stations on Friday.

A total of 280 buskers performed across the country to highlight the “urgent need” to tackle the mounting scourge of homelessness.

CEO of Focus Ireland Pat Dennigan said the funds are “more important than ever” without a home now higher than ever.

“A record of 11,754 people are currently experiencing homelessness in Ireland, including 1,609 families and 3,431 children. This is a significant increase compared to the same period last year when 8,914 people were homeless,” he said.

Mr Dennigan said it is “shocking” that nearly 3,500 children are homeless.

“We are working hard every day and our specially trained staff can help to protect children from the terrible trauma caused by homelessness and help families to secure a home,” he said.

This week, the charity labelled the Government’s decision to lift the eviction ban as a “mistake with significant consequences” saying the failure to listen to homeless organisations about the reality facing front-line services is “deeply worrying”.

Focus Ireland Director of Advocacy Mike Allen said there are virtually no free beds in emergency homeless accommodation while all local authorities are facing “huge problems” in increasing the supply of emergency shelter.

“The Government has essentially decided to live with a level of street homelessness which has never been considered tolerable before. This may well involve children as well as adults.

The Irish public has made it very clear over many years that do not accept that people should be forced to sleep rough,” he said.

Mr Allen said it is “almost inevitable” that the Government will face increasing pressure over the coming months to reconsider this decision and re-introduce some form of new eviction ban.

The Big Busk was in collaboration with Today FM and featured a live broadcast of the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show in Kildare where Gavin James performed while Bressie and this year’s Eurovision entrant, Wild Youth performed at Stephen's Green Shopping centre in Dublin.

Performances were also held in the Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick and Cork’s Kent station.

Donations are still being accepted through thebigbusk.focusireland.ie or via the Revolut app.