Hot, Nutritious Meals for people who are Homeless

As an ambitious European Declaration on Homelessness was signed earlier this week by Housing Minister, Darragh O’Brien, the Simon Communities of Ireland are calling for that ambition to be brought home and reflected in the governments housing strategy, due to be launched next month. 

The latest figures from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government show 7,991 men, women and children were in homeless emergency accommodation in Ireland during May 2021. This is a fall of 10% since May 2020. 

• 4,502 were single adults, a 4% annual increase on the number in May 2020, though a slight fall of 0.7% on the previous month April 2021 
• 928 families were homeless, a 24% annual fall on the number in May 2020, but a 0.3% increase on last month, April 2021 
• Despite the increase in family homelessness the number of children in families in homelessness fell by 45 

Wayne Stanley, National Spokesperson for the Simon Communities of Ireland, said;  

“In May, there were 7,991 men, women and children in homelessness. It’s a welcome fall year on year but more than twice the number in homelessness in 2014 when the then housing Minister described homelessness as at crisis levels. It’s also important to remember that while indicative of the crisis, these numbers do not truly capture its full scale. The numbers don't include rough sleepers and those in squats, people in direct provision and women’s shelters, or the ‘hidden homeless’, who have no home of their own. 

We know that many find themselves in this position due to a lack of affordable and secure accommodation. Our quarterly Locked Out report shows that this is the case in both urban and rural communities around the country. 

There is no quick fix to ending homelessness but it’s important we see the commitment to work towards ending homelessness reflected in the Minister’s housing and homeless plan next month. The recent ESRI report which called for a doubling of the States’ investment in public housing, is a good benchmark of the ambition required and we hope the Minister in his plan and the government in the upcoming budget, will meet that.”