Youthreach class demands homelessness solution

I am an LCA student in Youthreach Knocknaheeny and I am writing about homelessness in Cork. My class and I are concerned about people living rough: this year, 500 families have become homeless in Ireland. Many more have to stay with friends, family, and in squats, due to the housing crisis and rising rents. People deserve better.

During the first nine months of 2015, according to Simon, 285 people were sleeping rough in Cork, a 25% increase. There needs to be a dramatic change and the Government needs to act now.

According to statistics, there are 400 council houses vacant in Cork, which should be given to people in need of them. I can’t understand why there are so many people sleeping rough or in hotels. They are not being supported. The Gvernment couldn’t even decide how much money to allocate in the budget, after saying it would be a top priority, and they can’t agree on how to tackle the rent-certainty dispute.

It’s a disgrace. Maybe if Environment and Local Government Minister, Alan Kelly, had to sleep rough, just one cold winter’s night, then he would act now.

We want to see change. We want the Government to allocate sufficient money to help and support these people and we want those changes to happen before Christmas.

Sarah Ryan

Youthreach

Knocknaheeny

Cork