Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has warned that emergency homeless accommodation is at breaking point as the number of people experiencing homelessness surged in September. The Dublin Mid-West TD said “Government must immediately reintroduce the temporary ban on evictions to avoid homelessness hitting 15,000 before the end of the year”.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“The September homeless report from the Department of Housing released today shows increases across all categories. At the end of last month there were 14,760 people including 4,561 children in emergency accommodation funded by the Department of Housing.

“September saw significant increases in adult, child, family, single and pensioner homelessness.

“The emergency accommodation system across the state is at breaking point as homeless service providers struggle to cope with the month on month rises in people losing their homes.

“The Government must immediately reinstate the temporary ban on evictions where the tenant has done nothing wrong. If they do not do this then homelessness is likely to hit 15,000 by the end of the year.

“Ultimately the only way we will start to tackle the ever deepening homelessness crisis is with a change of Government and a change of housing plan. 

“When people go to the polls later this month they have to ask themselves, do they really want another five years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael  in government. Do they really want another 5 years of rising homelessness? Because that is what they will get if this Government are returned to office.

“Alternatively, a vote for Sinn Féin is a vote to end the housing crisis. We have set out in our plan A Home Of Your Own how a Sinn Féin government would bring the dream of homeownership back into reach for working people.