Do your bit for homeless people

THE Taoiseach says he will be fighting to avoid a two-tier Europe during Ireland’s EU presidency. Focus Ireland thinks Mr Ahern is operating double standards because he is actually presiding over a two-tier country as our homeless and housing crisis is now worse than ever.

A recent national survey carried out on behalf of Focus Ireland revealed 63% of the public blame homelessness and the housing crisis on lack of government action.

Focus Ireland maintains this shows the public has become even further disillusioned with the political resolve to tackle the problem. In the final year of a three-year government homelessness strategy the numbers who are homeless continue to rise. The latest official figures show an increase from 5,234 in 1999 to 5,581 in 2002.