Mentally ill shamefully neglected

The Government has failed dismally to fulfil the commitments made in 2000 to develop a strategy to deal with homeless people who are suffering from mental illness.

These, the most vulnerable people in our society, are being shamefully neglected.

The Simon Community and Amnesty International has sought to heighten public awareness of the relationship between homelessness and mental illness in the belief that if people were aware of the inadequacy of the Government’s response, there would be sufficient political pressure on the authorities to provide appropriate services for those unfortunate people to live with dignity.