April homelessness figures break another record as child homelessness increases

Irish Daily Mirror

a day ago

The monthly homelessness record has been broken once again, with over 15,500 people homeless in Ireland in April.
The figures, published by the Department of Housing on Friday, confirmed that 15,580 individuals were accessing emergency accommodation in April. Of these, 4,775 homeless people were children. This is an additional 162 people in the space of a month, 100 of whom were children.
The March homelessness report stated there were 15,418 homeless people. This included 4,675 children.
The figures do not include people sleeping rough or on the streets, couch-surfing or those in domestic violence refuges. Unaccommodated asylum seekers are also not included in these figures.
The April figures show that the majority of people in emergency accommodation (71 per cent) were in Dublin.
There were 2,245 homeless families, of which 1,291 were single-parent families.
Speaking on Friday morning before the figures were released at 2pm, Housing Minister James Browne said he had not yet seen the April stats.
However, he expressed concern at the ongoing rise in numbers.
Minister Browne said: 'They have been increasing for some considerable time. That is, I think for some, for myself, it's quite upsetting.
'But not half as upsetting for those people who need that accommodation. It's about delivering supply. [That] is the only way we're going to address homelessness.
'If you look at homelessness in cities right around the world, even really progressive cities that have high homelessness, it's because they have high rents.
'Why do they have high rents? Because of a lack of supply. The only way out of this is supply.'
At the same event, Minister Browne once again admitted that the Government's own self-imposed housing target of 41,000 homes in 2025 is going to be 'extremely challenging' to meet.
He said that most organisations are suggesting that between 33,000 and 34,000 homes would be completed.
Social Democrats housing spokesman Rory Hearne denied Minister Browne's suggestion that supply is the only thing that will solve the homelessness problem.
He said: 'The issue with homelessness is not just the supply of housing. It's also about the prevention of homelessness, preventing people from becoming homeless.
'There are currently families in their homes who have been issued notices to quit in the private rental sector.
'Providing new supply doesn't keep those in their homes. Tomorrow, if you actually put in place a ban on evictions, if you give the tenants in-situ schemes and the local authorities the funding they need, then you can prevent those families from becoming homelessness.
'It's not just a question of supply, of supply, it's also what are the preventative measures you're putting in place?'
Mr Hearne also argued that there has been a 171 per cent increase in the last three years in the number of children who are spending over 12 months in emergency accommodation.
Sinn Féin's housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin, meanwhile, stated that the figures were a 'stain' on this Government and society.
He said: 'It's very clear this Government has thrown in the towel.
'The Government won't meet their housing targets this year. They certainly won't meet their social affordable housing targets.
'House prices, rents and homelessness will continue to rise. That's why we need an emergency response.'