Letters to the Editor: Why we must always raise the roof on homelessness

Homeless tents outside the William Conyngham Plunket statue, just metres away from government offices on Kildare St, Dublin. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Having worked with homeless people since 1973, I am still haunted by the faces of the many men and women I have met, who were fearful to talk about the abuse they suffered in the institutions of the State, either directly or indirectly.

Some, too, remembered the compassion of  those who helped them. In my time, I have seen the dismantling of institutions to be replaced by Care in the Community; this we can now describe as a mirage. Filling this gap has resulted in voluntary and statutory bodies working together with the required oversight.