Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said the new Minister for Housing must urgently implement the Homeless Policy Group’s 10 recommendations in any new housing plan.

The call was made as the Department of Housing December homeless report shows overall homeless levels increasing by 12% in the last 12 months, and child homelessness increasing by 14% in the last year.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“As expected, the December homeless report published today shows marginal decreases in adult, and child homelessness compared to November.

“This seasonal drop in homeless numbers has occurred for the last number of years as family and friends do everything they can to keep loved ones from spending Christmas in emergency accommodation.

“However, compared to December 2023 homelessness is up 12%, while child homelessness is up 14% in the last year. This shows that the crisis is getting worse.

“Earlier in January the country’s leading homeless charities came together in the Homeless Policy Group and called on the government to introduce 10 key measures in the new Programme for Government.

“These included a new homeless strategy to end homelessness by 2030 and an increase in social housing output to 15,000 new builds a year.

“Unfortunately, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ignored the Homeless Policy Group’s recommendations.

“As a result, the ‘new’ government looks set to preside over ever greater increases in homelessness this year.

“I am calling on the new Minister for Housing James Browne to urgently implement the Homeless Policy Group’s recommendations in any new housing plan.

“Failure to do so will result in increases in adult and child homelessness in the months ahead.”