Homelessness crisis - This crisis is a stain on our country

Any country where the number of people without a home, the number of people in danger of losing their home, and still others with decent jobs who cannot even dream of buying a family home, is rising to a crisis level can hardly imagine itself a success.

Yet that is the scenario described yesterday by social justice campaigner Fr Peter McVerry when he warned of a “tsunami of homelessness” over the growing housing shortage, especially in Dublin. Fr McVerry said that, in 40 years working with homeless people, the problem was never as pronounced as it is today.

Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan later acknowledged the crisis and insisted Government was confronting the myriad issues involved. She suggested that considerable progress would be made towards resolving the crisis this year, but only time will tell if her expectations are realised.