South Dublin Homeless Crisis Escalating – 20% increase since start of year
Sinn Féin Clondalkin Councillor Eoin Ó Broin has said that the homeless crisis is ‘escalating with a 20% increase in the number of homeless households in the County since the start of the year.’ Cllr Ó Broin’s comments follow the publication of a detailed report at his request by the Council’s Housing Section on the rise in homelessness since the start of 2015.
Cllr Ó Broin said:
‘The homeless crisis in South Dublin is escalating. Since the start of 2015 we have seen a 20% increase in the number of homeless households from 233 in January to 287 in April.
‘There are now 79 families in emergency accommodation with 206 children. Many of these families are living is totally unsuitable emergency accommodation in local hotels or city centre hostels.
‘While the acquisition of 65 temporary accommodation units in Tallaght Cross is welcome this will not address the growing crisis. In fact the problem is set to get worse.
‘There is no let-up in the number of individuals and families presenting as homeless. Difficulties with rent supplement, rising rent costs and rising house repossessions are driving the homeless crisis.
‘The ongoing lack of investment in social housing means that the long term housing solutions are simply not available.
‘In the mean-time families are being forced to live in unsuitable accommodation. We now have a waiting list for people to get into emergency accommodation.
‘Central government must significantly increase the funds available to the Council to build and buy more social housing.
‘To date they have only released funds to provide a few hundred homes over the next three years. This is simply not enough.
‘They also need to deal with the rents crisis through rent controls and the mortgage crisis through substantive changes to the insolvency legislation.
‘We have heard a lot of tough talk from housing Minister Alan Kelly. What people need now, especially those families languishing on the homeless list, is action.’ ENDS
