Rory Hearne: Christmas won't be a magical time of year for children who are homeless
It is heartbreaking that thousands of children and their families will spend Christmas in homeless accommodation. 2,513 children and their families are homeless across the country, equivalent to the number of children in an average-sized Irish town. This is a failure of our Sate that we should not accept.
Home is our most fundamental of human needs. It provides a place of shelter from our inclement weather, for rest, for children to grow and develop. At Christmas, more than any other time, home is at the centre of our hearts and lives. We decorate it and prepare for Christmas day. It’s a time when families gather together, perhaps having not seen each other for years.
It’s filled with magical memories of childhood, and although it can be a time of heightened stress in families and sadness with recent loss, it is the most special of times. That's why it is traumatic to be without a home at Christmas, and we rightfully put attention on those without a home at this time of year.
