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THE BITING COLD in the mornings reminds us that winter is upon us. It is entirely appropriate that our public discussion would, at this time of year, turn to those who are homeless. Yet in the last week, we have heard the plight of those without homes described in ways that should cause us serious concern.
At the Fine Gael Árd Fheis last weekend, the Taoiseach claimed that Irish homelessness figures were on a par with international levels. He was quick to add that any homelessness is too much homelessness, but the message appeared clear: there is no homelessness crisis and this situation is regrettable, if inevitable.
Normalising a scandal
The implicit point was made explicit by the head of the government’s Housing Agency, Conor Skehan, who spoke on RTE’s Morning Ireland on Tuesday morning. He told the commuting public that homelessness “is a normal thing, it happens”. It is rare that an attempt to normalise a scandal is as brazen as this.
On the same day, the Junior Minister for Housing, Damien English, argued in the Dáil that the talk of a crisis is problematic because it might make us look bad. English worries that those trying to draw public attention to the homelessness crisis are “talking down our country”.
This is a problem because it might damage the flow of capital, since discussing this social emergency “is damaging to Ireland’s international reputation.” On Wednesday morning, news coverage prominently featured the words of Eileen Gleeson, the director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, who has argued that “chaotic” lifestyles are the cause of homelessness.
What is striking about these interventions is how they avoid the problem they appear to be discussing. The Taoiseach and Conor Skehan’s argument about statistics are flawed because there is no shared definition of homelessness across OECD countries – a point repeatedly made in the report that they are citing. English’s contribution amounts to a call to silence criticism of the government’s failed market-orientated response. Gleeson’s comments are marked by a striking paternalism.
Not just a rough sleeping problem
None of these much-reported remarks wrestle with how Ireland’s homelessness crisis is not just a rough-sleeping problem. The largest factor at play in becoming homeless in Ireland today is an inability to pay the rent or the mortgage. Indeed, a full accounting of the issue would reveal that it is a housing crisis.
From every angle, housing is dysfunctional. Counting those in mortgage arrears, those in negative equity, those priced out of an inflating property bubble, and those burdened by unsustainable rent prices leads to hundreds of thousands affected by the long-term failure to provide affordable housing in Ireland.
When we consider those worst affected – the more than 90,000 households on the housing waiting lists and the more than 8,000 who are homeless by our narrow definition – we are dealing with something far more urgent than a squabble about international comparisons.
We should be concerned about these discussions because instead of describing the real problems faced by massive numbers of people in Ireland, they are marked by a moralistic judgementalism. Gleeson’s words are worth considering in this light. There is no shred of nuance or complexity in her assessment.
Splitting the world into two
“Let’s be under no illusion here,” she advises. Continuing, she explicitly splits the world into two groups of people – folk like you and me and the different class of person who ends up without a home: “When somebody becomes homeless it doesn’t happen overnight, it takes years of bad behaviour probably, or behaviour that isn’t the behaviour of you and me.”
Skehan advises that “emotion is the enemy” in this conversation, but there is a striking lack of emotional empathy in these various discussions. Moralism makes poor policy.
The solution to the wider crisis – both for those without homes and those struggling to hold on to their homes – is large-scale government intervention. A full range of options should be deployed, from supporting housing bodies and co-operatives, to cost-to-let schemes, to robust public housing initiatives.
Adopting these policies will begin to address the problem systemically. Such constructive action would do a lot more for Ireland’s international reputation than chastising public commentary.
As a theologian who studies the economic aspects of Jesus’ teaching, I was on high alert when Conor Skehan suddenly cited the “the man from Nazareth.” While it is true that Jesus (repeatedly) taught that “the poor you will always have with you”, what that means is exactly opposite to what Skehan infers.
He concluded that there will always be those struggling with addiction who have no home to go to, or a woman who has “been hit for the last time by her abusive partner and finds herself out on the street with no plans” and hence there will always be homelessness.
Here we get to the nub of it: an over-emphasis being placed on the personal and relational causes of homelessness, when in fact the overwhelming reason for homelessness today is affordability and the ability to pay rent or mortgage repayments.
Kevin Hargaden is a theologian with the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice who teaches at Dublin City University.
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Completely agree with this. They are all worried about what the reports will do to Ireland’s reputation when they should be more worried about Ireland’s citizens.
@Shannon Mcg: One small thing is there is a industry building up around our homeless crisis, in Waterford a small group of drug users have taking to the streets with sleeping bags and cups during working hours and return to their homes after working hours. They are blocking ATM parking pay stations and (intimidating) begging is illegal in this country
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: yes but what does that have to do with the 8500 officially homeless and the fact that hundreds of thousands will never afford a home.
Typical FG shill response.
Divert and then demonise all people suffering.
Typical really.
FG is after all the party that hates Ireland and Irish people.
@Colin Morris: FG/FF/SF/L, are only interested in one thing and that is power at any price. They want to look after their pensions, their friends and grass root supporters. The rest of us can wait, stop voting for them and use your vote wisely!
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: it is just not about people on drugs and begging.. It is about famlies living in hotels and b&b due to been not able to pay high rents and can not pay there morgage… And also apartment rules over fire safety.. So its kids sleeping in hotels in one room. In a b&b probally were there is drugs around the place… We will have a few more deaths this yr.. I was at my son gaa match lastni and i was freezing standing at a match for an hour. . this goverment should be asamed and walk with their heads down…
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: The homeless industry is where a hotelier gets 8 million of public money for putting the homeless into hotel rooms.
@Dave Doyle: build council housing and don’t flog it off at a discount and its cost neutral. The homeless industry you describe is a consequence of government policy and not the fault of homeless advocates.
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Rosemary Amber Fearsaor-Hughes is with Verona Hanlon.
17 hrs ·
An open letter to Eileen Gleeson, Dublin Regional Housing Executive.
As a sight-impaired rough sleeper, I wish to point out some of your misconceptions. Your statement on the causes of homelessness is discriminatory at least and ill advised at best.
I am writing this as a homeless person angered at your flagrant disregard towards other human beings, since you seem to forget that we are human, to rebuke you for the sweeping statement you have made about individuals who find themselves without accommodation.
How many homeless people do you know on a personal level?
We are not all in this situation through “bad behaviour” or through substance abuse. I was without a home and family overnight: not all “homeless people” are bums who want to live off welfare. Many find themselves homeless as a result of landlord greed, or through escaping abusive relationships.
Legislation governing the selling of handicrafts and other honest means of making a living make it impossible for individuals to save money to access private rented accommodation. I am a Big Issue vendor, on many occasion I have experienced persecution for selling handicrafts that I have made, postcards and other small souvenirs on the streets, I want to earn a living and I will never beg. I am not in receipt of Social Welfare.
I, like many other rough sleepers, do not abuse any substances, including tobacco or alcohol, which is one of several reasons why I wish to have nothing to do with your inadequate and inaccessible hostels, accessed through a degrading freephone number.
Most of the “emergency accommodation ” facilities are unsuitable for an individual with mobility issues or sight impairment. If an accessible bed was available I would gladly accept it, that said there are not enough beds available anyway. The facilities are undignified and individual privacy is minimal.
I am computer literate and want to give something back. I not only read Braille, but I can teach it. I know many other homeless people who want opportunities to contribute to the society which has literally left us in the gutter.
However, once you have the stigma of having been homeless your prospects diminish greatly and your opportunities for obtaining meaningful long-term employment vanish. You are perpetuating that stigma by implying that all who have been or are homeless are in that position through their own wrong doing!
I am going to cast some aspersions of my own. I can be reasonably certain that you have never been without food and not known how you were going to find your next meal, nor that you have ever needed to find cardboard to bed down in a doorway.
You have had an easy life where wants and needs are easily confused. You are out of touch with the reality of what it is to survive with little or nothing and I cannot see how you can be of any benefit to the DHRE, because you have little idea about homelessness.
What is certain is that, on your watch, precisely nothing has been done to solve the long-term problem of homelessness in Dublin. I commend those charities who are doing what they can, which is more than I can say for the DHRE.
So I ask you Eileen Gleeson, how can someone so ill-informed about homelessness and clearly and demonstrably incompetent stay in a job for she is unsuitable with the DHRE?
Rosemary Fearsaor Hughes
A rough sleeper on Grafton Street
An open letter written by a homeless, “rough sleeper” to Eileen Gleeson of the DHRE.
Worth reading.
@Dave Doyle: the fact that Conor Skehan and Eileen Gleeson have not been fired is disgraceful.
@Dave Doyle: Thank you @Dave Doyle. Definitely worth reading and their words carry infinitely more weight than the disgusting comments from Eileen Gleeson and our craven leader Leo.
@Dave Doyle: Shocking I cannot believe a person like Gleeson with so little empathy never mind sympathy for the people she is supposed to be looking out for.
@Dave Doyle:
Shocking that a wonderful person like this lady is homeless. Shame on the likes of Eileen Gleeson. More evidence of what is wrong with this this country . The wrong people in the wrong jobs and to add insult to injury they are paid over and above what they are worth too.
@Dave Doyle: well said Rosemary u have to walk in another persons shoes to truly understand there is no excuse for the ignorance in 21st C.
We jumped at the chance to be the first on the smoking ban. homelessness is more damaging to your health.
Couldn’t agree more. Indeed our inept government might take a leaf out of Sweden’s book where they have just announced all homeless people will be immediately housed in specially built and managed properties having fully analysed the cost benefit factors, namely it’s far more cost affective for the state to properly assist homeless people, nuture them, encourage them and most importantly bring them back into society. it’s an approach that is both humane but full of common sense. Rather than the quite disgraceful approach and indeed appallingly bad attitude of some in government.
@Joseph Dempsey:
The only way to get FG to deal with this is to highlight this crisis to foreign investors as a reason Ireland should be avoided. .
@Joseph Dempsey: Sweden crisis is more severe than our own. They have in excess of 30,000 homeless, majority of which are immigrants.
@Vic’s Burd:
Fr Peter McVerry said that the homeless in Ireland would be more like 70,000 if it was not for the goodness of friends allowing some people to sleep on their sofas and family’s living in vastly overcrowded conditions with relatives.
Also it has been said that one of the reasons why families stay in hotels is to have a better chance of being rehoused. If they stay with friends or relatives they are deemed to be managing ok.
If by staying with family temporarily affects one place on the list people will do anything to try and get a home sooner.
So people on list should not be penalized for living with relatives. Surely this would be far cheaper than forcing them to declare that they are homeless and placed in Hotels which costs a small fortune.
@Vic’s Burd:
Wow – so Sweden’s crisis is worse than ours, yet they are managing to address it?
FG are utter monsters then.
But we all knew that.
Or are you following instruction from the Department of Spin – normalise homelessness and then demonise the homeless.
@Vic’s Burd: of our homeless numbers didn’t exclude children, couch surfers etc it would be approaching Sweden’s on a per capita basis and ours are mostly our own citizens not part of a recent disorderly wave of migrants. Our rates are also climbing by the month with no end in sight for at least another decade with nothing being done about it.
@Vic’s Burd: all the easier to sort out Irish homelessness then.
@Joseph Dempsey: well done to Sweden unfortunately not in this greedy corrupt KIP
@Misanthrope: yes you still got few green flags due to our brainwashed population, it will still take many years before they wake up! When their offspring had to immigrate just to afford a roof over their heads
To normalise homelessness is just not good enough politicians are elected by the people to serve the people and they are failing
The people of this country need to realise that this is their country
This is MY IRELAND
Enough is enough
FG and FF are about the markets, nothing more. Money makes the world go around. It’s all about how this will reflect internationally on the markets, on Ireland inc. as a place to do business, to get employees to come and pay huge tax while wealthy employers and companies pay near nothing.
We were awash with property after the crash, they were more interested in selling that off at a vastly reduced price to any cowboys that came along.
@Gerard McConnell:
Well then we must hammer home to the market that Ireland is a failed state and moving operations here is not advisable as their staff will be homeless.
Capitalism is a failure.
If Leo is so worried about the image of the country the best way to improve that image is to solve the Homeless Crisis.
@Aine O Connor: but Leo is a sociopath who hates Ireland.
We have an unelected Taoiseach, a junior Minister and a hard nosed unelected administrator giving all of us a clear view of the powers that be, in control to-day in Ireland.For some years now, volunteers in any capacity have been seen as nuisances getting in the way of the bureaucrats, hence Ms Gleesons tirade this week.
But the FG FF philosophy that allows the rental crises and subsequent homeless crises is also the philosophy of many other European governments. Leo will get a Pat on the back, not criticism.
Do people trust FF FG LIEBOUR ?
Never again. Normal to step over people on our streets. If it came from an occupier of this country , it would be shot down and fought with vengeance to protect out own people. Coming from FG our government is sad. Leo you are a sad individual…
@Willy Malone: @Willy Malone….I’m afraid ‘sad’ doesn’t cut it when describing Leo and his cohorts in government. Pernicious, obscene, arrogant, devious, lying and without any moral compass might be a bit closer to the mark.
Be wary of a Theologian giving advice ! All talk ! Full of his own beliefs!
@Martin Sinnott: But we should listen to FG stooges who state that it is now perfectly normal to be weaving our way around hundreds of people in sleeping bags as we walk to work on a cold winter’s morning, that the tents that have popped up along the quays in Cork are a progressive sign of city living. Or maybe we should listen to homeless experts who state that homelessness is a result of bad behaviour and could never happen to you or me. Or maybe we should just not mention it in case our neighbours find out.
@Martin Sinnott:
Why have you better solutions , if you have pray tell us.
@Martin Sinnott: still waiting @Martin Sinnot…….
@Martin Sinnott: Shut up you blueshirt clown, there are lots of people religious and non religious who are at coalface who have been telling this govt what needs to be done. Have they listened? Shit no 5 million down the swanee.
@Martin Sinnott: whose beliefs should he be full of if not his own?
There’s a complete lack of any sort of competent management of this crisis by the gov. In fact with the EU probably effectively controlling the country’s finances, its proving the only thing these gov politicians are capable of managing is their own bank accounts and piss ups in the dail bar.
@Adrian: ‘There is a complete lack of any sort of competent management of this crisis…..’ because there is NO wish or desire to do so. This ‘crisis’ is the result of deliberate government policy. That policy was to increase the value of property to ensure our banks were brought back to profitability. The way to do that was to restrict supply. The cost to the ‘lowest’ members of Ireland’s society was forecast and stated clearly before they chose this direction. They didn’t care then and they care even less now. This is what they want!!!!!
@Elizabeth Gregory: you’re 100% right, it’s gov policy, but their management of it is shambolic, amateurish, trying to absolve themselves of all responsibility and accountability, stop building social housing, thinking private developers will build houses, leaving charities deal with the homeless, trying to put the blame on the homeless, portraying them as people with behavioural and mental issues who created their own problems. That’s disgraceful behaviour from a gov that should be booted out of office asap. And Leo thinks some FG fella should resign because he sent some sticks and stones tweets and he thinks FG are above that. The reality is the opposite. FG are sc#m, lowest of the low.
@Adrian: the eu are controlling their finances, the most productive output from the Dail is THEIR alcoholic bar, where their speeches are not written for them, I do not expect the journal to allow my post? If they do their asleep zzzzzzzzz
Great article. We’ve got a disgraceful gov trying to downplay a crisis for all the wrong reasons. Makes you wonder what the hell are we doing having this disgraceful shower in gov when their solution is to ignore and unjustifiably throw blame on the unfortunate people struggling when the blame is squarely with a disastrous incompetent gov.
Fine Gael loves the free market.
But Fine Gael hates Ireland.
Fine Gael hates Irish people.
Varadkar’s efforts to normalise homelessness and demonise homeless people reveals hin to be an utter sociopath.
Young people need to be encouraged to eemigrate. Foreign investors should be warned to stay away.
Ireland under FG/FF has failed as a state.
@Colin Morris: is this the dumbest post ever made here? Its certainly a contender…
@O’Reilly:
Nope.
It is factually true.
Leo and FG hate Ireland and Irish people.
Young Irish people have better future prospects abroad.
The fact that we are raising a generation that will never be able to afford or access a reasonable home means that Ireland is now a failed state.
We must warn investors.
@Colin Morris: I take it you want our young people to move to socialist utopias like Venezuela, North Korea maybe even Zimbabwe.
@Colin Morris: yes thankfully my niece and nephews wasted no time looking for work here in ei when they completed their college degree’s they immigrated and secured work and affordable accommodation, which is unlikely here ESPECIALLY to their own people….
@Colin Morris: yes agreed their main enemy is Internet/Social media difficult or almost impossible to stop, and I agree they have a dislike of their ordinary people due to their wealthy pc partners/EU partners who at any cost want a multi culticural Europe paid for by the tax payer, it does not come free!!!!
The permanently outraged inhabitants of Irish Social Media prefer the narrative of homelessness to stay firmly in crisis mode and not have a discussion on what’s in the best interests of homeless people. Its suits various different agendas. In a vox pop on RTE yesterday one homeless Romanian man said there’s so much ad hoc services available that it doesnt encourage others to move off streets and into work. No doubt the housed professionally outraged here will find this “outrageous” and will completely ignore the view of this HOMELESS person…
@O’Reilly: you are deliberately confusing rough sleepers and homelessness.
The government hasn’t the slightest idea of the scale of the housing crisis.
Its response is to demonise and dehumanise.
And not surprising you don’t offer any ideas on how to provide an adequate supply of affordable housing for the hundreds of thousands one pay cheque from the street.
Are you working for FG?
@Colin Morris: didn’t you just call for all youth to emigrate and all foreign investors to leave? What the hell is that about? How does that help homelessness? 150,000 people employed by American company’s here. With your advice they’d be on the street too. Like I’ve said, permanent outrage with outrageous comments. And the best you can do is scream Fine Gael…
@O’Reilly:
Yes – young people need to be told quite clearly that emigration is a better option in the long term than remaining in Ireland.
In Ireland the system is designed as such to enrich the already wealthy.
With FG/FF/LAB young people have little prospect of ever owning their own home.
It is only compassionate to tell them the truth.
As for the foreign direct investment – we must actively discourage new companies from setting up here.
Again this is common sense – they need to be aware that they will find it very difficult to get staff because their employees will be homeless and therefore won[‘t want to move here.
This is all common sense and you know it.
We need to start spreading the word.
@O’Reilly: I don’t believe for one second that there are any homeless Romanian people on our streets. . Most if not all our homeless are Irish. These ad hoc services that you talk about, provide hot food and other essential things like clothing so people don’t freeze to death, are you seriously suggesting that we should not help our homeless. that we should leave them to starve and freeze to death?
@Colin Morris: I totally agree with you Colin, Our eldest is gone now almost a year, it is the intention of my youngest to emigrate also, when she gets her degree. there is nothing here any more for Irish people, the country is being swarmed by foreigners, The contempt that Leo Varadaker and his party have for the Irish people is mind blowing, this is all like some horrible movie we are watching. Dread to think what this country is going to be like in 50 years time, or maybe sooner than that. It wont be an Irish Christian Country and that’s for sure.’
@Colin Morris: Even non streetsleeper homelessness has it’s shades of grey. There is a local hotel that accommodates homeless very young mostly Irish mothers that is regularly raided by the relevant Government department in the early hours of the morning. The reason being is to make sure they are staying in situ rather than at home or elsewhere. This evidently is a regular tactic. Register and occasionally stay in such accommodation until you get boosted up the housing list. The owners don’t care as they get regular and reliable payment from the Gov. This means that someone (very young) is registered as homeless just because they have a child even though they have accommodation with parents etc. They never have a boyfriend either.
I know that all in this situation do not resort to this tactic and that there are plenty of genuine cases with nowhere to go but if the non desperate were removed it would reduce the official figures, possibly significantly.
For good or ill if this was not available so freely they would be living with parents or somewhere else. They would not be registered homeless. Just saying. In particular to those who are trying to take political advantage and silence debate using the homelessness issue.
@O’Reilly: well if all these multi nationals paid their fair rate of tax there would be more money in the country to build more social housing we wouldn’t have a homeless problem. If the multinationals went back to where they came from it might reduce the price’s of rented houses then the greedy landlords would be glad to charge a reasonable and affordable rent
@Colin Morris: spot on
@Carmel Diana O’Hara: one of the very few who are awake, anyone with a brain in their head knows the majority of Irish are homeless, but the safe pc elites want to down play for their own agenda, but to their disadvantage this problem will not go AWAY
So this should settle it. Just as we’ve seen over the past few weeks this seems to be the stance of our current government “the market is more important than the needs of citizens”.
The comments and mentality from our elected officials is disgusting!
The lack of meaningful action or lack of action altogether is disgusting!
The propaganda spin from Leo and his department and their attempts to divide the populace is disgusting!
The fact that we all as citizens continue to allow this to happen is disgusting, especially now when we can plainly and obviously see exactly the mentality of our politicians and yet still allow this to continue.
As they have clearly and blatantly stated, their concern is Irelands reputation on the international market.
If the last 6 months alone has taught us anything, it should be that our current government officials are completely unfit to run this country.
Solidarity and action amongst our citizens is going to be the only way real change will happen, as history has taught us time and time again.
It’s time to stop pointing the finger and blaming each other or those on social welfare or immigrants or those who are homeless, it’s really time to stop blaming people who are victims or those who are suffering as a direct result of government policy and actually start pointing the finger at those who are actually responsible.
It’s definitely time for us to put our differences aside and act together and tell our current government enough is enough, that we will not put up with this any longer.
A national day of strike across all sectors perhaps?………I’d bet that if that were to happen you’d see more change in a few days than we’ve seen in 6 months.
I could be wrong but I’d rather try something new than continue kicking this incompetent political can down the road.
@Gazza Lazza: Excellent Post.
Fine Gael under Kenny were to remote from reality to realize that perception is often more important than fact. Ad Leo doesn’t seem to have learned anything either?!
I take it the high paid Jesuit academic will be opening up some of their palatial buildings to the homeless today.
Sack Damien English, what sort of mindset has this muppet got?
@Gus Sheridan:
No it is Conor Skehan and Eileen Gleeson that should be sacked.
Damien English is merely following orders from that sociopath Leo Varadkar – normalise homelessness and demonise the homeless.
@Gus Sheridan: €€€€€€€€€ answer
The main thing is that property values are rising and the banks balance sheets are looking great. Policy success
Here no evil see no evil.. FG next election slogan.
We have a certain percentage of genuine homeless people begging in Ireland , in Deansgrange Co Dublin there are 3 roma beggars who are delivered by Van around 10am with their sleeping bags in their rucksack which they lay over their legs, at around 1pm they go home
Having a (bought and paid for) home, companionship, fulfilling employment and (good,) mental health are all luxuries, whether we want to admit it or not. You could say a progressive, inclusive and successful economy could accommodate a population having all of these aspirations. I know a few who enjoy (and expect to have) all of the above, plenty who don’t and some having none.
@Paul Jennings: good man blueshirt l
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