Helping the hidden homeless

As we approach Christmas and the celebrations to mark it, it is worth giving some consideration to what is done to ensure that people without a home are given the supports and services they deserve.

Last Christmas brought no respite for many of Ireland’s thousands of homeless people.

Many sleep rough or have emergency accommodation in hostels, shelters or B&B premises. Families or individuals who are involuntarily sharing with family or friends are among the hidden homeless. also in this category are those in insecure accommodation and people living in inadequate or substandard housing. People at risk of becoming homeless form a third category.

Their plight may be due to economic difficulties, a rent burden that is too high, insecure tenure or health problems or a combination of all factors.

The disgrace of children, young adults in need of drug rehabilitation and older people sleeping on our streets cannot be allowed to continue.

There is need for more than just accommodation. Counselling and rehabilitation services for addicts and alcoholics and guidance with a career path are all elements that could make a meaningful dent in our homeless population. All these services need a major injection of capital. The most immediate requirement, particularly at this very cold time of year, is to ensure that people are taken off the streets.

Were it not for Cork Simon, St Vincent de Paul, Threshold, Focus Ireland, Voluntary Housing Agencies, Homeless HSE Unit and others, things would be much worse.

I make a strong appeal to Government to make additional funding available to these agencies and the HSE, to take whatever steps are necessary, including the requisitioning of buildings to ensure that we enter the festive season and celebrate the life of a family who was homeless 2000 years ago, nobody has to sleep rough at this time of year and that a roof and safe bed of some kind are provided for every citizen — thus making Christmas and the New Year a happy and comfortable time for our less fortunate brethren.

Cllr Noel Collins

Midleton

Co Cork