Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has described the year on year rise in Louth of the number of people who are suffering from homelessness as “deeply worrying and depressing” and “evidence of the government’s inability to get to grips with this significant policy failure”.

The Louth TD was speaking following the publication of the Dept of Housing ‘Homelessness Report August 2019 which revealed a dramatic increase in the number of children and families living in homelessness across the state.

Gerry Adams said:

“In our Alternative Budget, published today, Tuesday 1st, Sinn Féin commits to delivering 17,216 social and affordable homes in 2020 – almost nine thousand more than the government.

“We would also implement an emergency freeze on rents for three years and provide renters with a tax break equal to one month’s rent during this period. These are real commitments that would begin the process of fixing our broken housing system.

“According to August’s official homeless figures there are 10,338 people living in emergency accommodation across the state, of which 3,693 are children. 

“This is a shameful statistic which fails to give any real sense of the emotional and stressful circumstances for these adults and children.

“In Louth the number of homeless adults is 170. This compares to 125 homeless adults last August. The number of children in homeless accommodation has dropped from 62 in 2018 to 40 this year but clearly the overall situation has worsened.

“The statistical data, and the reports from families of conditions in homelessness accommodation, is evidence that the Government’s housing strategy, supported by Fianna Fáil, is not working.

“For the seventh month in a row the number of people officially classified as homeless across this state has remained above 10,000.

“These figures do not provide the full picture and do not include women and children in domestic violence shelters funded by Tulsa, adults and children in hostels not funded by Government departments, rough sleepers and those still living in Direct Provision despite having secured their leave to remain.

“Clearly the government’s housing strategy – Rebuilding Ireland – is not working.”