Latest news with #DrNiallMuldoon
BreakingNews.ie
14 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Government's housing initiatives are failing children, says ombudsman
The Government's housing initiatives continuously fail children and do not even consider them, the Ombudsman for Children has said. Dr Niall Muldoon told the Oireachtas Committee on Housing that families and children are 'sinking' in homelessness, despite Ireland being the third richest country in the world. Advertisement He told the committee that children being forced to live in emergency accommodation will affect every aspect of their lives, from development, education and self-worth. Dr Muldoon has called on the Government to bring in specific measures to address child and family homelessness. The committee was told that the State has been aware of family homelessness since 2015. 'We said we need to focus on families and children. We feel that has not been taken on board,' Dr Muldoon. Advertisement He said that focus has been placed on investment in private properties and landlords but that 'we don't hear about children suffering at hands of the crisis'. 'There was talk of bringing in a constitutional right to housing – that didn't happen. There is a consistent failure to bring children into the discussion (about homelessness),' he added. Rory Hearne said that children are invisible in homelessness. Photo: Niall Carson/PA 'Children are seen as an add-on. 'Children have rights to housing and shelter and when they don't have it, it is devastating. Every initiative seems to fail and not even consider children. That is our exasperation.' Advertisement As of February, there were 4,653 children experiencing homelessness. This represented a significant increase, with 483 more children experiencing homelessness compared to February last year. Mary Hayes, director of the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, said homelessness in Dublin is 'relentless'. Ms Hayes told the committee there is 'an acute need' for large accommodation to meet the needs of families in the capital. Advertisement 'We are concerned about the drivers of homelessness, we have to respond and react to them,' she added. 'There has been a relentless increase in homelessness and we cannot keep pace of housing supply. 'I have some hope for the private rental to address security of tenure. I think there should be things to support people better with rent arrears. I do not want to give up.' Dr Muldoon said that children living in emergency accommodation are facing an 'abnormal childhood'. Advertisement He also warned of the dangers of normalising child homelessness. 'The normalisation for the child will make them think, this is all I deserve, no one is coming to help me. That will effect them for their entire life. 'There are solutions that should have been put in place a long time ago. 'It's about trying to create a world where we say you are worth us changing this.' Tricia Keilthy, head of policy at the Ombudsman for Children's Office, said there should be an emphasis on ensuring prevention is funded properly. Ms Keilthy also called for a full incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 'That is the radical change we need,' she added. Social Democrats TD and spokesman for housing, Rory Hearne, said that children are invisible in homelessness. He also queried whether there would be a future redress scheme for child homelessness as the state is failing to protect them. Ireland Homeless figures hit 'shocking' all-time high of m... Read More Nuala Ward, from the Ombudsman for Children's Office, said: 'We hear about children sitting in bathrooms while their mammies put their younger siblings to bed. 'We have heard from children, that shame does not leave you and that is what we are doing to children. 'Should there be a redress scheme? Can you give children back their childhoods? No, you can't.'
Irish Times
14 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Child homelessness a ‘national shame', TDs and Senators told
Child homelessness is a 'national shame' and those affected cannot be given their childhoods back, TDs and Senators have been told. The remarks were made by Nuala Ward, the director of investigations at the office of the Ombudsman for Children during an appearance at the Oireachtas Housing Committee on Tuesday. The committee met to examine the challenges to tackling homelessness Of the 15,580 homeless people living in emergency accommodation in April, 4,775 were children. READ MORE A statement submitted to the committee by Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon said children have 'borne the biggest brunt' of the homelessness crisis. Mr Muldoon said: 'The impact of homelessness and unstable living conditions on children is catastrophic' and it 'affects every aspect of their lives; education, wellbeing, self-development'. During the meeting, Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne asked the representatives of the Ombudsman's office if they 'see a future requirement for a redress scheme for children who've been through homelessness, given that the State is failing to protect them'. Ms Ward described the situation as 'a national shame', adding that 'we have children in this country growing up, not just for a few months, but growing up in B&Bs and hotels and we're paying State money to private providers for this type of accommodation that is having a devastating impact on children.' She described them sitting in bathrooms trying to be quiet while their mother is putting a sibling to bed. 'We've got children who are devastated because their pet dog or their hamster is not allowed in family hubs,' she said. 'They've had to leave them behind with granny or leaving behind with the auntie. Can you imagine that?' She said the most important point heard repeatedly from children related to growing up in poverty. Ms Ward said: 'I'm not sure if anybody here has grown up in any state of poverty, or can remember being deeply ashamed of not having something or being known that you're poor ... that there's something different to you from your peers. 'That shame doesn't leave you and that's what we're doing to children. 'So should there be a Redress Scheme? Can you give children back their childhoods? No, we can't. So that would be what our view would be on this.' Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin later said it was 'hard not to feel utterly depressed' at 'yet another housing committee meeting having the same conversation'. He said the number of children in emergency accommodation has increased by 442 per cent in a decade. 'I know numbers don't convey, Nuala, the points that you made. I understand that completely,' he said. 'But thousands upon thousands upon thousands of children have been forced into long-term stays in emergency accommodation during that period.'
