A very welcome move

IN an ideal world there would be no such thing as homelessness in a country as rich as this, but unfortunately that is not the case.

So many people have lost their homes, mostly because of unsustainable debt or soaring rents, that government was forced to declare an emergency around the issue, especially in Dublin.

That response has extended to a very welcome €13m plan to tackle homelessness in Limerick, which was launched by Limerick city and county councils yesterday.

As many as 68 units will be bought or built around the city to house people now living on the streets.

Homelessness is a matrix of social failure and should be seen as something utterly unacceptable in a wealthy and progressive society. It condemns its victims to a difficult and relentless life of poverty. So many services and opportunities most of us regard as normal are beyond the reach of those who do not have a permanent address. The Limerick initiative is very welcome and cannot be completed too soon.