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FATHER PETER MCVERRY has said that there is no chance that hotels will no longer be used to provide emergency accommodation for homeless families by the beginning of July.
Speaking to Ivan Yates on Newstalk, McVerry said that Housing Minister Simon Coveney is a “good man” but that the problem of homelessness is now “out of control”.
The homeless campaigner said that it is clear that Coveney’s proposals to alleviate the homelessness crisis “are just not working”.
Worsening problem
As recently as March, Coveney has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that hotels will no longer be used to house homeless families by July of this year.
The use of hotel and B&Bs to house homeless families has skyrocketed over the past number of years and the homelessness crisis has worsened in Dublin.
Latest figures from the Housing Department show that there 1091 homeless families with 2,046 children staying in emergency accommodation in Dublin in April. The overwhelming majority of these were staying in private hotels or B&Bs at a huge cost to the state.
Dublin City Council spent €40 million trying to house homeless families in hotels and B&Bs in 2016 alone.
Coveney first committed to ending the use of hotels to house homeless families by the middle of this year last summer in the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Housing Action Plan.
Charity experts expressed serious doubt that this being possible at the time, however Coveney today remained resolute that the goal could be achieved.
“Out of control”
McVerry began by saying that getting homeless families out of hotels is “not going to happen by the first of July, that’s for sure”.
He began by praising Simon Coveney, saying he had “a lot of respect for him” and that he had “tried very hard to address this problem”.
It was clear, McVerry said, that these measures were simply not working. He said:
The Minister has produced very detailed comprehensive proposals to solve the problem but he produced those eight/nine months ago and the problem continues to get worse, so to my mind they’re just not working. So I think the problem out of control.
He said that the problem was primarily in the private rental sector with families made homeless either because “the rents have gone through the roof and they can no longer afford them”, “the banks have repossessed the home that they’re living in” or “the landlord wants to sell the house”.
Introducing caps on rising rents in line with inflation and legislation to prevent evictions would go some way towards alleviating the problems in the private rental sector, he said.
McVerry added that is essential that the government find the means to convert the empty houses and apartments around the country into available housing.
Advocating going down the “compulsory purchase route” of these empty units, he said “it’s that sort of radical action… that we need to solve what I believe is a problem that is now out of control”.
He concluded by drawing a comparison between the homelessness crisis now and during the Famine:
It’s absolutely absurd. This is like the famine times. People were evicted onto the street because they couldn’t pay the rent.
This FactCheck, from TheJournal.ie, examined an earlier claim from McVerry that there was more people homeless in Ireland now than at any point since the Famine. We rated the claim “mostly false”.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
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Our social welfare system is so generous to family’s who don’t work that the St. V de P need to support low income families….the working poor. Yet another example of a kick in the teeth to struggling working families while those who don’t work get increased benefits. €25,000 cut off limit is a joke, try raising a family with 2-3 kids in Ireland earning €25,001 and you will find yourself knocking on St. V de P’s door from time to time. No wonder they are speaking out here.
On observation in Celbridge over the last few weeks.
Plenty of people on social welfare drinking and smoking.
Estates where the majority are on social welfare there are plenty with cars in the driveways and large screen tv’s in the living room.
I see plenty of children of parents on social welfare with mobile phones.
I see the same children buying sandwiches for their lunch in the local petrol station deli counter.
Not all but a good percentage of them.
No need to savage me here, just an observation.
Generous?! Are you kidding me? You clearly dont know what you’re talking about. Pitching the poor against the poorer.
That’s the problem Paul. Support those who have never worked in their lives at all costs. Keep pummeling the worker who is trying to support his/her family barely keeping the show in the road or the recently unemployed person who has worked all their life and is now struggling to get back in the game. It’s a joke.
If you are earning 25k or there abouts you shouldn’t be having 2-3 kids. It’s irresponsible in my opinion.
My observations are directed at the social welfare recipients that never worked a day in their life, everything paid for by the state, my niece aged 28 lives in a Dublin suburb, not married, two children, house supplied by the state, never worked a day in her life (never paid paye/prsi) and she smokes, drinks, drives a car.
I am a bit pissed off paying for other people’s luxuries.
Niall, what if you were earning more than 25k when you had the kids?
Once again stereotypical prejudicial and bigoted comments towards people struggling to live on welfare DUE TO NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
What about Niall if you never worked, have no intention of working, have a few kids and get everything handed to you from the State from the cradle to the grave? Is this person irresponsible or just a complete waste of oxygen?
I agree totally with Paul here. I worked all my life over 30 years and now am disabled to to illness. I paid into the system and now receive 186 euro a week waiting for a social welfare appeal. I was denied two legitimate welfare claims out of hand. I worked and paid my taxes and was never on the dole. Now I have less than any person on the dole. My house is in arrears I get nothing but a bare payment to keep me from starvation. Is this Justice. As you say Paul. There should be a clear distinction in welfare office for those who work and have worked and those who never did a days work in their lives. Career welfare people are the ones should be driven out like I am being driven out. All my PRSI paid for what???? I can’t even get what I paid into.
Christopher, I made an observation, this is not a personal attack on any individual.
Tv’s, cars, alcohol, cigarettes and mobile phones are luxuries.
I cannot afford to pay for others luxuries any more or I will be asking st Vincent de Paul for a dig out.
Comments not directed at the people Christopher, I would do the same in their shoes….my frustration is directed at governments who preside over this system of lifestyle welfare recipients.
And Niall is it ok to support the families that have never worked a day in their life and have 7 or 8 kids ??? How responsible is that might I ask ???
Just want to point out that during the boom there was 30,000 people on social welfare, now we know that figure has gone away up now, 15% unemployment, these people didn’t just say hey I’m bored of work lets go sit at home all day. 272,000 children living in poverty. Them 30,000 are milking the system. They had all the allowances before the system got strict and they are still getting them. People who signed in last 2-3 years are living the most basic life. Monday to Sunday watching every penny. But we could come on here and attack the 30,000 making the genuine people feel isolated and useless, or we could all start focusing out attention on gov who insist we pay illegal gambling debts, makes more sense to put that money into economy, generate jobs, get people off welfare back to work and spending in the economy. Genuine people on welfare don’t want people taxes going up, but they didn’t cause it and what can they do to fix it, they can’t get work to contribute.
Or we could keep going with austerity, low middle income being taxed, welfare being cut, people have less disposable income, business suffering, more people unemployed, more people on welfare.
We should be taxing the wealthy to help them share in the burden.
The problem really isn’t your relative. The big problem is made up of many small problems. First of all this country supports generous welfare. Then there is the issue of planned parent hood. I’m sure if foresight is taken when having children and how to support them after they are born. Then there is the folks that believe that they are owed something. Then this country is made up of begrudgers. Then there is the fact people are seldom encouraged to follow there dreams or they can strive to do better.
We as a country really have to change our attitude. We really are destroying our cuture… We are not evolving.
Blame your politicians for mismanaging the economy. Don’t attack the vulnerable in society.
Well said Christopher.
Expect this government to be voted out of office in 2016 (if not sooner).
- There should be no property tax or water charges
- Retirement age should be reduced back to 65 considering our young population of Europe
Don’t put money on that, Fg + ff coalition 2016. Logic and opinion polls predict it. It might be time to pack the bags to be honest.
ff + fg coalition would be fragile because the current polls suggest they would require support of Independents, Sinn Fein, and more significantly, a large amount of undecided voters.
I’m also guessing FF’s support is beginning to level off and anticipate it won’t go above 29% (or thereabouts).
I’m working part time with 2 sons one is dependant . I have 159.80 to pay bills and feed us each week as the rest pays the rent .. I’d be better off not working . I no people not working who can drink a few notes a week and get takeaway food every week .. I break my neck to provide for my family and have little to show for it , it’s soul destroying . If I need anything for my youngest son I have to not pay the esb or heating or I skip meals and eat porridge instead. Our lovely little country is a total mess :(
The entire unemployed don’t “drink a few notes a week”. Since 2008, unemployment has soared because of an economic and financial crisis. Blame your politicians for mismanaging the economy – not the vulnerable.
Also, is having kids not YOUR responsibility?
Perhaps you should accept some PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for the situation you claim to be in?
Mark for ur information I have been unemployed and I was better off , I’m not saying it was fantastic but I had more money that’s honest .. And also yes I am responsible for my children and I was in a relationship with their father for 20 yrs longer than most people ,, iv separated and I’m doing my best working to provide for them and I’m sick of the Government taking from everyone wat they can . I’m wondering wat u me by “personal responsibility ” ?
Its gone to the dogs for sure. Whats worse is there is no political party out there to vote for as they are all as bad as each other. At the moment its a bit like falling out of a plane with a parachute that wont open total helplessness.
SF / Independents / People before Profit / Socialist Party ?
Spot on John, and I’d say that a lot of people feel that it would be better if the parachute didn’t open.
Reginald, we could elect Ming for Taoiseach, and Wallace as minister of finance.
What can possibly go wrong?
Did the mainstream parties not get us into this mess?
Somehow I thing we need a better approach to the situation other than “they got us in here, they didn’t, lets give them a go” approach, considering that that’s how FG/LAB got in.
new political party would be great. But to register one you need to have a TD already sitting in the Dail, and that would lead to bias.
I would love a new party, one that is left enough to provide for those struggling and to support a welfare state, but also flexible.
It should support women’s rights, be completely neutral to religion and let no religion have bias, it should support equality, promote cross boarder relations to make everyone on the Island of Ireland feel included no matter their creed or loyalty.
It should ensure that those that messed up our country for their benefit are tried fairly in a court of law, then ensure banks are regulated and put safe guards against this mess happening again, but remain committed to paying its debts, while trying to reduce them so that our children’s children aren’t in debt.
It would not be perfect, But it might be a start
Voting in the next election will be like asking if you’d rather eat dogsh1t or catsh1t.
We would be too high to care about our financial state.
@Eric: You don’t need to have a TD to setup a new political party – that’s one way. The other is to get 300 signatures – half of whom need to be on the register of electors – to contest national elections, or 150 signatures to contest local elections.
@Jonny: lets get signing! I call dictator for life, you can be president for life……
Lets not forget that voting in the last elections were worse eh hem ye hardly think the last few governments were good and didnt trap us into the situation we have now.The last elections and Governments were FF got 66% of the vote what did FG get in the last one huge percentage were the important ones because they set it up and the country is what its going to be now.I keep saying this but government will do what its told by the people if the people see fit to make them do it .The people will bring this country back because it is the people who suffer on and not the Government .Form a movement in your own town and village and get busy organizing yereselves instead of waiting for a miracle and winging.
Sorry but a new party won’t happen because there is a roughly 50:50 left:right population. If you guys are hoping for a “new” rightwing party, best of luck!
Going by the polls, the progressive liberal parties will likely earn more votes come 2016 because the middle class are being forced to share the burden instead of the top 10 per cent wealthy.
I am gutted at this news of CB cuts!
the government seem to be so far out of touch with the realities of what families are going through. this expert working group seem to be more interested in cutting money than supporting families who are struggling.
I’m also gutted & losing sleep over more cuts. On paper ?51k comes into my house….in reality after the gov has raped my paycheck ?32k. I don’t receive any handouts but pay every charge & every tax dreamed up. My chilldrens allowance puts clothes & shoes on my kids & pays for shoolbooks & uniforms. How much more can they take before I break?????
@Mick Kenny. Joan Burton was on Matt Cooper’s Last Word yesterday and she waffled on and on but the most important thing she said was that she hoped to “save” 200 million for the government. To reach that target she really doesn’t care who she hurts.
So let me get this straight in my head. You work, earn a standard wage, pay tax, prsi and usc (receive nothing for any of these). Then have to pay for childcare at top whack so you can go to work and all other associated costs petrol etc. with working these days. Why would anyone even bother working in this country?
We should be encouraging the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes which are at a 25 year low.
Did anyone expect this to happen when they voted Fine Gael?
Taxes at 25 year low?I am confused how you derive that conclusion?
Income tax CGT and indirect taxation all steadily risen over the last 4 years.
.
Tax breaks, tax reliefs and tax anomalies are one of the reasons taxes on the top 10 per cent are at their lowest since the 1980′s.
tax rebates on company cars, group company tax breaks, discretionary tax reliefs, tax anomalies, tax allowances, the list goes on.
I have been on social welfare for past year. I spend my days applying for jobs, 2 days a week doing a computer course. I spend another day a week cleaning the lake shore and street for the local tidy towns or helping out with maintenance with the local sports club. I would have no problems doing this in order to get my money. I have seen friends going into the debts of depression over been idle. If you are claiming social welfare for.more than 6 months you should have to do something like help with tidy towns or your local sport club and do a course to get your money.
On the child benefit I think it should be scrapped. The money used too;
Free child care for working parent’s,
Free formula and nappies
Free play school education.
Free healthy lunches for all school children.
School uniforms scrapped.
A rental school book scheme.
This would ensure the best possible start for all children. While making sure the child benefit goes to benefit the child. It may cost more in the long run but with free food been provided there is another few jobs in every school in the country.
Fair play to you.
I suspect that some of the negative comments are not directed at your ilk, but the career dolesters.
I’ve no doubt you will succeed, good luck & don’t lose heart!
Won’t happen. There is a roughly 50:50 left:right populace of voters. You haven’t enough rightwing voters to attack the vulnerable the way phil wants to. FG are down in the polls, FF likely won’t have a majority of votes.
Yet again hit the working families that have to pay for everything …mortgage,medical bills school books uniforms etc list goes on and on
Our politician’s huge salaries and benefits are in place to make difficult decisions and prioritize the needs of the tax payers. Unfortunately, it is blatantly obvious they can do neither. What a complete JOKE!
Once and for all many of the tax payer benefits should not be accessible to the wealthy. The fact that persons over a certain income level recieves the same financial benefits as the working poor is a travesty.
How is this possible? It is possible because our government refuses to listen to advice of our country’s experts. Our country’s experts have stated that the only way to bring fairness to the expenditures of tax benefits to complete a nation means testing followed by a needs assessment. In this way there is a clear statistical understanding of the financial facts of our nation’s economic state. Without these facts financial decisions are made on generalized information.
By means testing the government can make informed decisions. But then again, when was the last time our government was proactive and made an informed decision? Sadly, all decisions are reactive… Which is always a waste of resources.
I personally believe the reason why our government consistently vere away from means testing…. Is that it would bring transparency to their financial state and that of their friends and family. It would also require action.
This country needs annual itemized full disclosure of how much money comes in from taxes and how it is spent.
Spot on marlon. the political class have it all sown up, pensions after a few years allowances coming out thier ears and postions on company boards upon retirement. The amount interconnection between politicans and big business in ireland is unbeliveable. Mean while out of necessity let us send our children to other shores.
Means testing is fairer but also costly, money wasted in administration
Shay… No disrespect to your opinion. However, the cost is necessary. The cost of the test easily be absorbed by redirecting the government’s financial waste: high salaries, excessive golden parachutes, poor decisions that results in ongoing payments… Do you recall the electronic voting machines? It’s still costing us. How many costs like the voting machines exist that we are not aware of.
Means testing is a cost, but will bring value and long term savings.
Think of an investment that will pay for your children and grandchildren’s future.
Means testing would have to ongoing and yearly to be effective, circumstances change, cost would not be small and it would be an on going investment
I accept in terms of social justice it is fairer and more just
Shay… You are correct would require that it is done yearly. However, to save costs… Means testing can be done every three or four years.
The US government does it every few years. However, with their system… Before acting on the results… They compare it to other indicators that are carried out by other independent groups.
Believe it or not… A lot of statistics are already out there that could be used instead of means testing.. However, being that they are not official and completed in a controlled environment they can’t be used independently as being 98% accurate with a low average of error.
There is no fairer way than means testing… Proof is in the numbers… Not the governmental conjecture or opinion.
Last year I made 31k gross, 5600 of that was spent on diesel, the gov have money coming in at all angles, fair enough that its not as much as a few years ago but still….. I’m goin back on the dole… The honest people in this country are the ones being screwed, honesty doesn’t pay the bills!!!!!
Public transport?
Not when ur doing shift work, from rural Donegal in the middle of nowhere! We haven’t got that luxury of busses!
Well, the government needs to go after the wealthy top 10 per cent whose taxes are currently at a 25 year low. Instead, they are going after the middle class. Conservative parties have a track record for class warfare style policies.
Having a job that doesn’t pay enough for you to live a basic lifestyle & going on the dole if you choose to quit, means the social welfare will penalise you very sad but true, I read here all the time of people who lose their jobs have to wait for weeks- months for a new claim to be processed. The ones who have never worked get a hell of a lot more money, more kids, more benefit.. My heart does go out to the poor working men of Ireland, what’s happening to our once proud country it’s being divided & conquered by the powers that be.. Proud to be Irish was once a very proud saying.. It doesn’t seem to count for much today..
mary, the left would change that injustice if people gave them a chance, most likely.
These savings could be partially offset by ending TAX BREAKS on the top 10 per cent such as:
- tax rebates on company cars
- group company tax breaks
- discretionary tax reliefs
- tax anomalies
Also, taxes on the rich are at a 25 year low. Since the 1980′s, taxes on the wealthy have been falling.
All this new system of payment is gonna force couples living together to claim the arent not out of greed mainly because it will be nesesary
Front Page of the Indo this morning says “Reprive for families as chile benifit shelved”.
You chose to have the children. If you couldn’t afford them you shouldn’t have had them. Don’t ask me to pay for your lifestyle choices with free handouts for your children.
Smiley,
Whose going to pay for your pension when you retire? Your medical card when you’re over 70?
A society that doesn’t look after their children has no future.
And don’t ask my children to pay for your pension and medical care when your on your death bed :)
Danny, Karolyn. It’s called saving. I pay them myself.
Karolyn, you still think there will be a pension when our time comes ???
If you don’t plan to take care of yourself you will be disappointed
Really Smiley?
Fair play to you. You’re not going to claim your state pension? You won’t be getting sick and need any hospital treatment or medical care? You won’t need and Guards? Or civil service? You’re simply going to stay in your house until you pass away, no state help whatsoever?
Or perhaps you are going to volunteer extra taxes once you retire, out of this massive stash of savings you’ll have to cover these things?
You might not realise, but you are currently paying taxes so that today’s pensioners have these services.
Today’s children will pay the taxes to cover the services for you.
Smiley your comment stinks of snobbery
,
Many many of us here pay our taxes and work our arse off , so the way I see ,my taxes entitle me to get childrens allowance , you don,t have kids I take, so you simply don,t understand , perhaps someday U will have kids and then U will understand ,
without children there is no future
Sean. What a load of tripe. I have had children, I have worked all my adult life, I have saved and not sought instant gratification, incessantly. I have paid my way without child support. What gives current parents the right to think they are entitled to child support? I know. Political bribery. Well, in today’s economic climate it is unsustainable. You, with you child support, are robbing Ireland’s future by taking money that could be used to pay off the massive debt accrued by those FF eejits.
I for one will never give that shower a red cent. They can sponsor welfare merchants alcohol consumption all they like but I’m not paying for it. That crowd give coal and hampers (sometimes 2) out to the least deserving, and leave the people that would really need and appreciate them forgotten. I’ve seen coal that they give out sold in pubs for more drink. It’s badly run in my opinion so I wouldn’t take a blind bit of notice what they say.
i see that with the vouchers they give at xmas people trying to buy cigarettes and alcohol with them despite the fact its printed on them grocery only, mind u when i entioned that on another thread here i got devoured for saying it,people really have a problem with u teling it like it is,for some may i add not everyone.
Ann, you haven’t enough voters on your side to attack the people on the fringes of society no matter how much hatred exists against them. FF didn’t do it, FG didn’t do it, so get past it.
First of all its my opinion which Im entitled to just as you are yours second of all Im talking about the people who have never worked have no intention of working and are getting everything for nothing then come x mas when the help they get from the vdp is meant to be spent on shopping SOME (just incase i wasn’t clear the first time) people try to spend it on cigarettes and alcohol, Im pretty sure thats not what it was given for. Now how bout u get over someone having a different opinion than yours.
Food and groceries are by far the largest core expenditure by most unemployed people. Are you really that stupid not to know that? Wonder how your plan would backfire when VAT and duty incomes plummet triggering higher income taxes to compensate. I’m sure no economist would recommend your proposal.
How do you know unemployed people spend it on “alcohol” and “cigarettes”?
Who did the neo-cons hate before this? Homosexuals? People who walked in cracks on footpaths?
Oh here we go with the insults i know that SOME (i put it in capitals because obviously you can’t read) people spend it this way because Im the person standing behind the counter refusing them cigarettes and alcohol when they present gift cards given to them by the vdp.
This is a political ruse to get us to panic into thinking that child benefit will be cut.
They will back away from this and we will all think phew that’s great but other taxes will be put on us.
It is political suicide for labor who will get the brunt of this and it was not long ago that Joan burton challenged ff saying that a lot of ordinary people use child benefit to pay bills like mortgage , electricity etc, she has forgotten this but she should be reminded.
The recent polls putting ff on top will panic lab which is not a bad thing but if fg get back in they will impose this in their first year.
Just annoys me their double jobbing Enda s teacher salary James reilly n so on n they just keeping hitting the ordinary joe soap I’m surprised that no one a got them all coming out of the dail n riddled the whole lot of them like what has happened in foreign countries a mad man on the rampage as 2e it would be good riddance to bad rubbish.
St Vincent de Paul would want to examine themselves before commenting on others. The people this charity hands money too is a disgrace. Helping the poor my arse.
Not only does Joan Burton look like Margaret Thatcher and sounds like her but she is implementing Thatcherite policies. One thing is for sure, she will never be leader of the Labour Party – there will be no Labour Party after the next General election. Burton and her right wing party will be wiped out, but of course she will be welcomed with open arms into Fine Gael.
Universal payment??
Child benefit remains the only payment paid to the main home Carer and as such remains a valid payment.
Suggested two tires. Costs in monitoring it means money wasted on administration.
Points made on Vincent Browne and still not answered
Shay… How can rationalize monthly payments to people who don’t need it? Why give a millionares tax money that is collected from the working poor? Or am I misunderstanding your post?
Marlin, point made on Vincent children’s allowance can be seen as a payment for the work involved in the rearing of children, which contributes to society,
Everything depends on how you view it
In my house we received the vinnys hamper many a xmas but the meat vouchers and grocery vouchers were given to the self employed (2 cars in the garden, weatherglaze windows and central heating back in the 80s they were luxury) or when my brother went to college he worked 2 jobs evening and weekends to scrape by with his grant and the farmers kids with a full grant getting money off daddy so they didnt have to work, the whole system is rotten and needs to be reworked, like if you have never worked you dont receive a penny simple as that
they have said means testing child benefit is too espensive, but if they were to reduce it down to 100 euros, and those under 25k get a top up payment, does that not mean they need to be meanstested to get that top up payment?
The last time children’s allowance was cut, the cut was offset with an increase in family income support, for those families in need.
Has this not been done in this budget?
If they cancelled my child benifit it wouldnt bother us. There is no need for that money. The government are paying us to have kids that is the only reason we get it. Cancel it for all I care. Its a silly payment and the only reason people go mad is because its money. Free money. You planned to have a child so its your responsibility not the governments.
The only entitlement i get back from this gov is €130 per month ,so that robbing the future of Irish children? , oh please , more bile mr smiley ,
Irish childrens futures have been robbed by the irish political system , that have now saddles our children with a debts that where racked up as a result of greedy rich people ,over seen by an irish political system that’s completely corrupt to the core ,
As long as this continues the hard working low-middle earners like myself have no hope , no future …………..the rich get richer at the expense if the rich
Its also the only payment that i get but saying that if they stopped it and tried to help in some other way like school lunches or some contribution to childcare id be happy enough.
all the posts on here are about people at each others throats while kenny pushes ahead with his dictatorship rules on property tax..he must be breaking his hole laughing at us..wise up.
have your say