Focus Ireland launched the Right To A Home campaign as a new survey carried out for the charity found that a massive 80% of the public support a Constitutional right to housing for Irish Citizens. The poll of 1,000 people nationwide – carried out by Amarach Consulting - found that only 8% of people disagreed with this proposal - while 12% fell under "don’t know".
Focus Ireland said the survey results clearly show the Government is currently out of step with the public when it comes to the key matter of what additional issues should be included for review by the Constitutional Convention.
The charity has called on the Government to ensure that the Right To A Home is now added to the second phase of the Constitutional Convention. Focus Ireland has written to the Taoiseach and all members of the Oireachtas on this matter. Focus Ireland CEO Joyce Loughnan said: "Focus Ireland believes the failure to include the right to housing as one of the issues for the convention to examine is a mistake by the Government. The findings of our survey show the public wants action on this issue."
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She added: "There has been good work carried out across housing and homeless services for many years. However, Ireland is still failing to provide adequate housing for some of our most marginalised citizens. Failure by the State to provide enough housing leads to people becoming homeless or remaining trapped in low standard, insecure accommodation."
Focus Ireland pointed out that single people, families and children stuck in these situations have no stability and many develop other problems such as early school leaving, unemployment, poverty, addiction and in some cases getting sucked into criminal behaviour or being exploited by others in some way. Ms. Loughnan added: "We must start to view the simple truth that if all families have a right to a home then this would clearly help to lead to more stability in society and it would be a key factor in prevention not only of homelessness but also of many other issues as well."
Focus Ireland maintains that housing is a basic human right and Ireland should honour its international obligations that guarantee a right to housing and act to remove the inequalities in the Irish housing system. Unlike other EU countries, Ireland has no established right to housing or accommodation for its citizens. Indeed housing rights in Ireland are historically weak by way of comparison to our European neighbours.
Homelessness on the other hand is perhaps the most extreme denial of housing rights in society. It is a phenomenon directly resultant from poverty and social exclusion.
(CD/GK)
