LAST UPDATE | 31 Jul 2019

THE GOVERNMENT AND Housing Minister have come under fire once again after homeless figures for June remained reached over 10,000 for the fifth month in a row.

National figures have dipped slightly with 81 less people classified as homeless compared to May’s figures.

The details published today for June show there are now 10,172 people living in emergency accommodation – consisting of 6,497 adults and 3,675 children. 

Much of that drop came in the form of children being removed from the list but June remains the fifth month in a row where there were more than 10,000 people classed as homeless – first breaking that threshold in February.

There is now 1,686 families living in homelessness. 

Homeless charity groups remain concerned that the number of people living in hotels, B&Bs and other types of emergency accommodation remains significantly high. 

‘National disgrace’

Inner City Helping Homeless CEO Anthony Flynn said: “We cannot lose sight of the fact that we have over 10,000 people still officially homeless across the state.”

Until the political will is there to build proper public housing in vast quantities we will never see a proper sustained reduction in these numbers.

“The fact that we still have 3,675 children homeless is a national disgrace as children need proper homes to develop physically and mentally. 

Depaul homeless charity also weighed in on the figures today saying despite the slight decrease “we must continue to move people off homelessness and provide them with the right supports to allow them to rebuild their lives.”

Interim CEO of the charity, David Carroll said: “the summer months are a time for holidays and fun and to take a break from things… for families and individuals in homelessness there is no break, the struggle and worry is constant.”

Focus Ireland’s Director of Advocacy, Mike Allen also said: “There is a real danger that human stories get lost behind the numbers – especially during the summer months when the politicians are on holidays and people are enjoying the good weather.

“There is no holiday or break from the almost constant stress for the over 10,000 people who are homeless.”