Homelessness is a major emergency yet crisis talks aren’t being called

In recent years, the Irish government sent a booklet to every household in the country titled ‘Preparing for Major Emergencies’. The

Government defines a major emergency as follows: “A major emergency is an event which, usually with little or no warning, causes or threatens injury or death, or serious disruption of essential services … beyond the normal capabilities of the principal emergency services in the area in which the event occurs. It requires the use of additional procedures and the use of additional resources to ensure an efficient and effective response.”

The current homeless crisis fits precisely this definition of a major emergency. With vulnerable children already sleeping rough in our

streets and parks, it is predicted that up to 1,000 Irish families will become homeless over the next few months.

The current homeless services are overwhelmed by this crisis, to the extent that it has become a major emergency.

This situation has not occurred “with little or no warning” and has been predicted for over six months now. The lack of a coherent

Government response from Minister Alan Kelly and his colleagues at cabinet has turned a crisis into a major emergency.

Under the Government’s own guidelines, the current homeless emergency requires the Environment Minister to immediately convene the Emergency Response Coordination Centre in Dublin to deal decisively with the crisis with all of the major stakeholders

involved. Other responsible ministers in this crisis include the health minister and defence minister.

We elect our Government to act in the interests of the state and its citizens. The current cabinet — by its own guidelines — is failing in

its duty of care to our most vulnerable citizens. Shame on them.

Dr. Tom Clonan

Captain (Retired)

Trimleston Avenue

Booterstown

Co Dublin