Homeless children 'having their childhoods stolen a day at a time' in emergency accommodation

'Children who are homeless are having their childhoods stolen one day at a time,' says Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan. File photo

More than 5,000 children facing Christmas in emergency accommodation are having their "childhoods stolen a day at a time", as the latest figures revealed a record-breaking 16,766 homeless in Ireland at the end of October.

The latest figures from the Department of Housing revealed that 11,492 adults and 5,274 children were living in homeless accommodation, while these numbers also included 2,484 families. This is an increase from September, when 16,614 people were recorded as homeless.

Compared to the same time last year, an extra 1,800 people are homeless, a rise of 12% as each month sees new grim records being made. Child homelessness, meanwhile, is up 14% in just 12 months.

Simon Communities of Ireland executive director, Ber Grogan, said such levels of homelessness will continue to grow next year unless urgent solutions are forthcoming.

“This Christmas, an additional 629 children will face the harsh reality of homelessness compared to last year,” she said. 

Human beings deserve far better than this. It’s shocking that so many people will go without this basic security at a time meant for joy and family. 

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said the number of children who will be homeless this Christmas is “heartbreaking”, and for many it will be their second or even third year opening presents in emergency accommodation.

“Children who are homeless are having their childhoods stolen one day at a time,” he said. “This is wrong and we can, and must, end this human crisis.” 

In the wake of the recently published housing plan through to 2030, charities in the sector are urging the Government to deliver social and affordable homes to help families out of homelessness.

“Unless these commitments are delivered quickly, at-scale and in a joined-up way — across housing, health, mental health, addiction and community supports — the overall numbers will not fall,” said Dublin Simon chief executive Catherine Kenny.

Advocates are also pointing to statistics published this week by the Residential Tenancies Board, which showed that the number of termination notices being issued to tenants has surged, as further causes of concern.

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In total, 5,405 termination notices were recorded in the three months to the end of September, up 14.3% on the previous quarter.

“The Government must take action to stop the sudden exodus of landlords from the market as there are widespread reports of landlords leaving due to this new policy,” Mr Dennigan said. “It is not a case of bad policy, it’s a case of poor communication.

“The Government must urgently launch a campaign clarifying its proposals to landlords, including direct outreach to the 3,000 planning to sell. Explain that existing tenancies remain unaffected and actively encourage them to stay in the market."