Sinn Féin TD for Meath West Johnny Guirke has said that homeless numbers are rising in Meath in the absence of an emergency response from the government. The numbers were revealed in the May homeless report from the Department of Housing.He told Meath Live, “The latest report from the Department of Housing shows that in May homelessness increased in Meath.“Last month, the total number of people in the Department of Housing-funded emergency accommodation in Meath was 210, including children. That is an increase on April’s figures.“We know the true figure will be much higher, as the statistics don’t capture everyone experiencing homelessness.
“Official homeless numbers for the month of May are 12,441, that is made up of 8,742 adults and 3,699 children.“Rising levels of homelessness is the direct result of government’s failure to put in place an emergency response to what continues to be an ever-growing humanitarian crisis.
“Sinn Féin have been urging the Minister for Housing to put in place an emergency response for over a year now. “Such a response would include suspending planning and procurement powers to deliver additional social and affordable housing using modular building technologies and vacant properties; increasing and accelerating the social and cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme; and crucially restoring the ban on no fault evictions until the number of adults and children in emergency accommodation start to fall.“This government is not taking this homeless crisis seriously. No Minister in modern times has presided over such a high and ever rising level of adult and child homelessness. It is clear they do not have the political will to tackle this crisis and both reduce and end long-term homelessness.
“People in Meath will continue to be made homelessness until this government finally shows the urgency that is needed to get to grips with this crisis.”
