Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that government failures on public housing are causing month-on-month rises in homelessness. 

The Dublin Mid-West TD’s comments were made as the Department of Housing’s homeless report for November recorded over 15,000 adults and children in department-funded emergency accommodation for the first time.

Deputy Ó Broin described the figures as shocking, unacceptable but entirely predictable.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“As expected, the latest homeless report has hit a new grim record. 

“In November, 15,199 people, including 4,658 children, were in Department of Housing-funded emergency accommodation.

“This is the first time since records began that more than 15,000 people were officially categorised as homeless. November saw increases in the number of adults, children, families, single people and pensioners in emergency accommodation.

“Of course this does not reflect the true level of homelessness as rough sleepers, women and children in Tusla-funded domestic violence refuges, men and women in hostels not in receipt of state funding, and people with refugee status but trapped in IPAS accommodation are not included in the Department of Housings figures.

“Government failure in the delivery of social and affordable housing is causing month-on-month increases in homelessness. This situation is shocking, unacceptable but entirely predictable.

“The social and affordable housing targets in the government’s plan were always too low. Worse still, they have missed these targets every single year and are likely to miss them again when we see the final figures for 2024.

“It is no surprise that neither Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael referenced their own government’s commitment to end long term homelessness by 2030 in their election manifestos. This can only be read as an admission that they have abandoned that commitment.

“Sinn Féin firmly believes that ending long-term homelessness by 2030 is still possible. But only if a real plan is in place to reduce the number of people becoming homeless and that gets people in emergency accommodation out of homelessness more quickly.

“Our alternative housing plan, A Home Of Your Own, sets out how this can be done. Without this kind of radical reset of housing policy, the homelessness crisis will continue to deepen in the months ahead.”