Government at risk of normalising rising homlesssness, says Sinn Féin TD
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin says the Government are at risk of normalising rising numbers of homelessness.
Mr Ó Broin made the comments as it was confirmed that homeless figures have once again risen to record levels, with 15,747 people now in emergency accommodation.
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Of those people, 4,844 children were accessing emergency accommodation during the last week of May.
Speaking to
BreakingNews.ie
, Mr Ó Broin pointed out that the number of homeless people has increased every month under the current Government.
"Every month since this Government has been in office, the numbers have increased.
"The latest figures for May show increases across every level of homelessness. Adult homelessness, child homelessness, singles, children, families, and pensioners.
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"The constant rise in child homelessness is deeply concerning, and a direct result of Government failure.
"The policies they are pursuing are failing, and in particular, they are failing children. What we need is a radical change in direction. Without that, my concern is we will continue to see record highs every month.
"They are in denial about the scale of the emergency we are in. They are in denial of how their policies have caused this crisis, and they are spending far too much time blaming everybody else, for an emergency of their making."
The Sinn Féin TD says the Government are now at risk of normalising homelessness, and is not taking into account the effect homelessness has on people.
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"I think the Government is at risk of normalising ever rising levels of homelessness, but also the enormous impact of staying in emergency accommodation has on adults, and particularly children.
"Every time I hear a Government minister or the Taoiseach say housing the homeless is the number one priority, the problem is you can't keep saying that when month on month, your actions and inactions are leading to an ever greater number of people being homeless.
"Ultimately, the solution to this is accelerating the delivery of social and affordable homes, and also the kind of homes in the right place."
Mr Ó Broin also voiced his concern over changes to the Rent Pressure Zones which were recently confirmed by the Government.
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New tenancies created from March 1st, 2026 onwards will be set at market value and offer six-year minimum rolling tenancies.
At the end of the six-year tenancy, the rent can be reset and 'put back to the market', meaning the first series of rent resets under the reforms will take place in 2032.
Mr Ó Broin says he fears rents will increase to a point which people will not be able to afford under the new changes.
"One of the big concerns about the Rent Pressure Zones from March next year, when the rules come in, we are going to see over a period of time, rents right across the private rental sector reset to market rents, and that is something renters will not be able to afford.
"It is important to remember the reason rent regulations were introduced in the first place in 2016 is because rents in the private rental sector were increasing 20 per cent plus a year.
"Families were unable to afford those rents, falling into rental arrears and then emergency accommodation.
"The idea that dismantling that is the solution, is utter madness."
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