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HOMELESSNESS IS EVERYWHERE.
It’s not just what we see on our streets but what he hear and read in newspapers, online, radio and TV. Reports from different homeless services are launched weekly – all telling us that homelessness is ‘at crisis point‘ and we’re in a ‘homeless tsunami‘.
When did it get so bad, how did it get so bad, who are the people that are becoming homeless and is this really the worst it has ever been?
Brother Kevin from the Capuchin Day Centre spoke to TheJournal.ie about when he started the centre,
“When we started in 1969 we had about 50 people but now in 2014 – in the morning time we’d have about 250 for breakfast and anything from 540 maybe 550 for dinner.
More people are homeless, more people are in fear of losing their homes, more people have lost their jobs and these are the people really we are concerned about and these are the people we are helping.
The Capuchin Day Centre also gives out food parcels. Brother Kevin said:
“Up to the time of the recession we had about three or four hundred people here for food parcels and that was every Wednesday. Now on a Wednesday we’d have about 1,700 for food parcels. That’s a huge increase, that’s really due to the recession.”
“All this was started for homeless people but it’s not just for homeless people now…it’s also for people who are poor and can’t make ends meet.”
The numbers
Focus Ireland gave a breakdown of the number of people who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless that used its services:
Focus Ireland told TheJournal.ie, “It’s important to say that some of this increase has been by virtue of the fact that we have broadened the range of services that we offer so it’s not the case that we are saying that homelessness has almost doubled in the last four years.
“However, it is also clear the problem is getting worse as over 300 families have become homeless in Dublin alone so far this year. There are also many more people at serious risk of losing their home.”
But it seems that homeless figures don’t just grow in the recession, Peter McVerry from the Peter McVerry Trust said,
“It appals me that we had 12 years of growth during the Celtic Tiger years – when we had more money than we knew what to do with … During those years the number of homeless people in Ireland doubled. It went from 2,500 in 1999 to 5,000 in 2008 … That is an absolute disgrace”
So how did we get here?
Shane Bradley from DePaul said, “For me, looking at the whole sector where we are – how did we get into this situation?
“The strategy of Housing First – which I’m an advocate for and what is right – came at a time when they had to withdraw resources.
The initial thing during economic stringent times is to firefight, provide emergency accommodation and neglect the longer term strategy. That is what has happened and it is a real tragedy. Those families should not be in hotels.
“I think there will always be a need for a service like ours (short-term, emergency accommodation for those with complex needs such as addiction) when you have these women moving out of chaos and into stability. And helping the child, because they are best of with their parents.”
Assistant CEO of COPE Galway, Martin O’Connor, spoke to TheJournal.ie about how family homelnesses in Galway was address through housing in the Celtic Tiget.
“During the boom, there was a big social housing unit built and it addressed the needs of people who needed support and it really showed how social housing works. We went from a need of housing for almost 30 families to almost nothing.
However, he added that “Families cannot secure social housing now. There’s definitely an increase in demand and we’re seeing more families at risk of homeless.
Merchants Quay Ireland recently published its annual review which found that, “The economic recovery has placed increased pressure on the over-priced rental market and is keeping more people in homelessness.”
O’Connor echoed the sentiment that the housing crisis is forcing people into homelessness.
Traditionally poor living skills, inability to manage budgets, addictions and mental health issues were all factors that contributed to people becoming homeless but we are now seeing families who are coping in every other way bar their rent increasing.
“The number of properties available has shrunk, rent has increased and then what’s available can be substandard. Garage conversations are being done and people are then paying up to and beyond the rent cap for a garage.”
Lisa Silke is the manager at COPE Osterley Lodge, which provides emergency accommodation for women. She told TheJournal.ie:
“If the accommodation is the right fit – they are much less likely to lose it. If somebody has moved into a property that doesn’t meet their needs – it’s not going to be sustainable in the long-term.”
O’Connor added, “The majority of the families who are losing their homes is just because of economic reasons.”
New Type of Homeless
Osterley Lodge is a 24 hour service and has women presenting at all times during the day and night. Silke said:
“More individuals and families are presenting where it’s their first time being homeless.
“Over the past three or four years we’ve seen a significant increase in families and women and children are staying longer because they can’t find good quality and affordable housing.
A lot of our clients have long employment histories and an education background and a lot of them would say to us that they never anticipated this is their future.
“We see structural factors as opposed to social structures now causing homelessness – someone who has a lot of debt and can’t overcome it or someone whose rent has suddenly increased.
“The emergency services are at full capacity and if more people were able to keep their homes – if support was prioritised in those cases that would be a huge help.”
Speaking about emergency accommodation, Chief Executive of the Dublin Simon Community, Sam McGuinness, warned last week that it’s becoming a long-term solution – with at least 50% of people stuck in emergency accommodation for over six months.
Thousands of vulnerable and frightened people are being trapped in the revolving door of inadequate and insufficient emergency accommodation, forced to remain roofless.
“The longer people are forced to remain in emergency accommodation, the more intense supports they will need when they are lucky to have the opportunity to move on.”
Is this the worst it has ever been?
Father Kevin from the Capuchin Day Centre told TheJournal.ie:
The most extraordinary thing is that I didn’t notice the recession in the 80s at all but this recession has been absolutely cruel.
Focus Ireland added that rising rents and mortgage arrears mean there are now more families at risk of losing their home nationwide than ever before
McGuinness said “Recent talks about green shoots are not reaching the most vulnerable in our society, the majority of whom never experienced any benefits from the Celtic Tiger.
“Sadly, the less fortunate have become have become more unfortunate.”
Pic: Andrew Bennett via Flickr/Creative Commons
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The longer it takes the more interest AIB will have to pay won’t they?
The bailout is bigger than 21 Billion, the low interest rates and DIRT @ 41% are not taken into account.
True Martin but the more interest they have to pay , the longer it will take for them to get back to profitability.
Future tax on profits written off against taxpayer covered debts.
Profits earned for a large part by charging crazy customers fees to those that bailed them out.
Investment ?!! More like theft !!
Woohoo we’ll all be rich again. I’ve an option on some apartments in Bulgaria if anyone’s interested?
Bulgaria is old news Kim, Cape Verde is where its at, the new Canaries!… Ryan Air will be flying there soon. Yer man from Cork that knows about the money is selling them!
Brendan oil own fake is it ?
I like your style Ronan, just for that I’ll throw in a hot tub.
Brendan Investments …come on now people keep up ….
The Irish taxpayer paid out €21 Billion to bail out the Bank, then the senior bailed the pension fund with over €1.5 Billion, they retired on huge Pensions. Then they closed the pension to new members. The tax payer is paying 1000 staff salaries of over €100,000. Tax payers are taken to the cleaners by the AIB. You would want to be a gxxxxxxe to Bank with them.
In 1984, AIB was bailed out, at a cost of £400 million to the Irish taxpayer, when its subsidiary (ICI) collapsed. The following year AIB paid out a dividend to its shareholders, while still in-hoc to the taxpayer.
Less than 25 years later AIB was back, cap in hand, for another draw down.
As from the last budget, it would appear, the government will, now, be incentivising even greater incompetence and negligence through its revised taxation policy.
I despise that bloody bank, really actively despise it, I have more respect for a junkie thief than I have for anyone working for it.
Saw that in the paper today, Martin. I nearly choked on me sandwich. 1000 AIB staff on over €100,000. Nothing has changed, these people live in a different world, on our money and nobody seems to care.
All the sheeple red arrowing me- the type that doff their cap to their “betters”
A bankrupt state in tatters because of AIB- generations enslaved to paying for this God awful mess and these sad sacks red arrow someone pointing out how despicable this bank is- third time being bailed out by the tax payers and it’s these clowns attitude will see them bankrupt us again.
Anybody that owes the AIB money shouldn’t pay it until they give all that money back to the taxpayers
jaysus!
yep – this is a brilliant idea and will definitely help the borrower, the lender and the State finances all in one go.
I look forward to the next economic marvel from you Denise.
Well we’ll keep it so until you do – all of it ! not 75% ……” there’s a big bonus for ye lads and a few share options Isn’t the Irish public really stupid”,
ALL OF IT !
A fraction of this €21b would fix our water system and therefore no need for any Irish Water charges
That’s like €4.5k for each citizen. That would give the local economy some boost. Can I expect a cheque in the post?
Too f***ing late AIB the people have already had to suffer from your mess
Well they could start by returning the €18 they stole from my account, which f***ed up a direct debit payment.
If we get double digits billions back from the bank we will be doing well. AIB isn’t worth 21 billion.
The big swing is the taking back the provisions for bad loans which were the worse worse case. That’s why they made big losses as they had to put huge money aside and now they don’t need it so they can take some and call it a profit.
But that’s a short term thing as the economy improves and losses reduce. They still haven’t shown they can make money long term.
IF I was a sausage I’d dance at the crossroads with a pink tutu on, while reciting the government ignored out of copyright amhran na bfhiann backwards on a bicycle !
What about some decking Kim, a hot tub and some decking and im in!! I already have one in Kusadasi.
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It’s about time we took our fingers out of our holes and marched on the banks think about what they done to this country and how easy they got away with it . FFs Ireland’s paying 42% of the over all debt of the eu, so how dose the smallest end up paying the most
Bing!
So how much will my bank shares be worth by then…??
As Paul said they will be worth “Bing”
I have got to be the worlds lousiest fairy.
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