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Irish Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
The Irish Independent's View: Revelation of emergency housing costs delivers another crushing blow to Government's credibility
When you cut to the chase, it is the taxpayer who pays and pays. If they are lucky, their money is spent efficiently and effectively. If they are not, the potential for indefensible blow-outs is all the greater, and the chance to hold those responsible to account is lost in a perpetual political cycle of deflection and denial. The revelation that the cumulative costs of housing some families in emergency accommodation adds up to the price of a house is another crushing blow to the Government's credibility on homelessness and the housing crisis. The idea that it could cost between €140,000 and €180,000 to keep a roof over the head of a family each year seems ludicrous. Many families require such support for two years, according to Dublin Region Homeless Executive. Figures from the Department of Housing, released last month, revealed 15,580 people were dependent on such support. This was 11pc more than last year, when there were 14,010. The figure of 15,580 marked another bleak record and included 4,775 children. Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin said the new high was a 'stain on this Government', while Labour's Conor Sheehan said: 'This is no longer a housing crisis – it is a housing disaster, and the Government is responding with inertia.' Only a radical, pandemic-like response – where obstacles are obliterated by absolute necessity, with cross-party buy-in – will suffice The massive costs of meeting homeless people's requirements seem to have no boundaries. A total failure to provide the necessary accommodation over decades has forced the State into paying indefensible amounts of money. There is now a perception that the Government is being swamped in a sea of need. Buddhist nun Pema Chedron once wrote: 'Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.' But surely there is nothing more to be learnt about the solution to the housing crisis. We do not have enough houses, nor will we unless there is a revolutionary change in approach. Last month we saw how the national monthly average rent passed €2,000 for the first time. A recent Property Industry Ireland conference was told €140bn in public and private funding is needed to reach the government housing target of 300,000 homes by 2030. It is time for the Government to create a dynamic where the State and the private sector can act in tandem to mutual benefit. The State has to create the conditions where the finances will be in place to ensure a building programme can be accelerated to bridge the gap between supply and demand. Only a radical, pandemic-like response – where obstacles are obliterated by absolute necessity, with cross-party buy-in – will suffice. Palming off the burden of responsibility at the expense of the next generation is not an option. We cannot continue to haemorrhage vast sums of taxpayer money for unsustainable short-term 'solutions'.
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
300 Irish jobs axed by health firm after ‘difficult decision to cease operations' as workers face ‘devastating future'
HUNDREDS of Irish jobs are set to be scrapped after a major health firm announced redundancies here. Some 300 jobs are to be lost with the closure of Carelon Global Solutions Ireland in Castletroy in Advertisement 2 Labour's Conor Sheehan described the announcement as 'deeply worrying' Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire The A spokesperson confirmed: 'The process to close operations will occur over the course of the next several months, and we expect it to be completed by the end of 2025. 'We greatly appreciate the work and dedication from associates in Ireland over the past few years and are committed to supporting them during this time." Carelon, formerly known as Legato Health Advertisement Read more in Money The firm previously said it was considering its future in Ireland after a review of its business operations, and an examination of the changing healthcare landscape globally. He said: 'This is not just a business decision—it has real human consequences. These are dedicated staff who have contributed to the company's success, and they deserve more than silence or ambiguity in return. 'Carelon must recognise the human impact of this closure and act swiftly. The workers must be given clarity on what comes next. Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun Exclusive 'Will there be redeployment? What are the redundancy terms? How are their rights and entitlements going to be protected? The worst thing we can do is leave people in limbo. 'We also need to ask: where is the Minister for Enterprise? These 'MUST ENGAGE WITH WORKERS' The TD added: 'I want to make clear that my office is open to any of the impacted workers in Limerick who need advice, support or advocacy at this difficult time. 'I will continue to stand up for them and raise this issue at the highest level. Advertisement "Carelon must act responsibly. They must engage with workers now.' 2 Hundreds of Irish jobs are set to be scrapped at Carelon Global Solutions Ireland Credit: Getty Images - Getty
Dublin Live
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Dublin Live
Housing crisis 'gotten away from government' as 2,000 apply for 20 cost rental homes
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The government has been slammed for letting the housing crisis "get away" from it after it emerged almost 2,000 people had applied for 20 cost rental homes. Applications for the one and two-bedroom apartments at Griffin Point in Clongriffin opened on Tuesday. According to housing body Respond, the one and two-bed apartments will have rents set at least 25 per cent below market rates. The monthly rent for the one-bed cost rentals is €1,326, while the two-beds cost €1,478. Cost rental homes are open to those who do not qualify for social housing but have a net annual household income of less than €66,000. With a week still to go until applications close for the 20 homes in Griffin Point, 1,857 queries have been received by Respond, reports the Irish Times. Labour Party housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan has hit out the the government, who delivered 10,595 new-build social homes against a target of 12,930. The Limerick TD called on Housing Minister James Browne to outline plans for the delivery of affordable homes. He said: 'Report after report, statistic after statistic, everything points to the same conclusion: Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have no plan. "Homelessness figures continue to climb, rents remain sky-high, and now we see house prices spiralling out of control once again. This Government has chosen to sit on the sidelines while people suffer the consequences of their inaction. "Minister Browne hit the headlines last month for attempting to appoint someone to check his homework, rather than put the Strategic Housing Office on a legislative footing so it could have real power to impact delivery of homes. "The number of people applying for homes in Clongriffin represents a snapshot of the sheer demand and desperate need for affordable housing." Deputy Sheehan also hit out at the "failed" Housing for All project and called for more to be done to help those on single incomes. He added: "More than 400,000 people in Ireland live alone, yet every time the Government talk about housing it's based on joint incomes. "Government continues to set housing policy that is based on the assumption that people should aspire to couple up. "The sheer volume of applications for homes in Clongriffin highlights the myriad of ways the housing crisis has gotten away from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Where is the action on the crisis of our generation?" Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Labour TD opens up about increased homophobic abuse since becoming a politician
Labour TD Conor Sheehan has admitted he would not feel comfortable holding a loved one's or partner's hand in any Irish city due to increased toxicity towards members of the LGBT community. He made the comments just hours after the Labour Party's event to celebrate 10 years since the marriage equality referendum passed had to be hastily moved to a different venue. The party suggested there had been "far right threats" and a protest planned outside the event on Monday evening. Speaking in Leinster House on Tuesday morning, Senator Laura Harmon stated that the original venue pulled out because it was "worried about the health and safety of their staff". Gardaí later advised Labour to move venues. Conor Sheehan, the party's TD in Limerick city, stated that he has been subjected to increased levels of homophobic abuse since becoming a public representative. He said: "The last couple of years have become more uncertain and more unsafe and that's something that we need to reflect upon as a society as we move forward. "I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable walking around Dublin city or any city in Ireland holding the hand of a loved one, of a partner or whatever. "I don't think we were at this juncture 10 years ago. I think that we need to reflect upon the hope and the optimism that the marriage equality referendum brought to us and reflect better upon that spirit. "Things have become really, really toxic in the last couple of years for LGBT people and it's something I know I've felt myself, especially since entering public life. "The amount of homophobic abuse I get from time to time is just absolutely unbelievable. "It doesn't particularly bother me, because I'm fairly resilient. But I often think, were I not so resilient, I don't actually know what I would do." Mr Sheehan later said that the toxicity towards LGBT people has been "creeping in for the last couple of years" and it "get worse with each passing year." He further suggested that there are groups of people in Europe and in the US trying to "unpick" what he described as "hard won fights". Deputy Sheehan added: "We live in an open, tolerant, compassionate society. The vast, vast majority of Irish people are open, tolerant and compassionate. "I don't want to live in a society where any sort of hate, regardless of who it's directed towards, becomes tolerated."
Belfast Telegraph
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Number of people in emergency accommodation hits record high of 15,418
Opposition parties called for a 'radical' reset on housing to stem the constant increase in homelessness. The figures show there were 40 more people, 22 of whom were children, using emergency accommodation in March compared with February, when 15,378 were recorded as homeless. The figures for January saw 15,286 people homeless, 4,603 of whom were children. The true number of people who are homeless is thought to be much higher, as the monthly figures do not include people sleeping on the streets, couch-surfing or those who access accommodation in domestic violence refuges or Direct Provision. The monthly Department of Housing tally has been growing steadily for years as governments have struggled to address the housing crisis which emerged after the recession. House prices and rents have skyrocketed, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic, as supply remains constrained and demand has increased. The government has increased its new-build housing targets for the coming years in response, but missed last year's overall target and its social homes target for several years running. The Central Bank of Ireland has also warned that Ireland is on track to miss its housing targets for the next three years. Homelessness charity the Simon Communities of Ireland said that since March last year, an extra 1,552 people are in emergency accommodation. Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said: 'This time four years ago, it was reported that 8,060 men, women and children were experiencing homelessness. 'That number has nearly doubled since then. It's hard to fathom how we can reverse these figures in the next five years without urgent action. 'If we're serious about ending homelessness by 2030, we need to start treating it like the crisis it is. 'Housing and homelessness must become a top priority for Government. 'Our latest Locked Out Of The Market report highlights the severe shortage of options in the private rental sector. 'We need to act now to protect people from falling into homelessness. Prevention is not only the most economically sensible approach, it's also the morally right thing to do.' Labour TD Conor Sheehan said each week 'brings a new low' in this Government's handling of the housing crisis. 'There is no way to sugarcoat this. It's a national scandal, and it is a direct result of Government failure to treat housing as the emergency it clearly is,' he said. 'Despite the rhetoric, there is no urgency, no strategic leadership, and no willingness to admit the scale of the crisis.' Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne said the latest figures were 'a shameful milestone for a government that never prioritised homelessness'. Mr Hearne, the party's housing spokesperson, said the proposed removal of rent caps and cuts to the tenant-in-situ scheme will add to already rising levels of homelessness. 'Overall, there are 256 more children in emergency accommodation than there were six months ago. These trends will continue unless there is a radical shift in government policy,' he said. 'Rising levels of homelessness will continue to outpace any social and affordable housing delivery from the State unless there is a radical shift in government policy, which must have a far greater focus on the tenant-in-situ scheme.'
