Sinn Féin is to hold a number of protests over the next few weeks to demand the Government take immediate action over the homeless crisis in Dublin.

21,000 families are currently on Dublin City Council's housing lists, Sinn Féin has revealed.

In July, there were 556 families homeless including 1185 children. This is a huge increase from 2014. In July 2014, there were 359 adults with 595 children homeless.

-- Advertisement --

Cllr. Daithí Doolan, chair of Dublin City Council Housing SPC, said: "An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Alan Kelly are issuing daily press statements in an attempt to spin their way out of this crisis. But their spin only proves how removed they are from the reality of this human crisis.

"The Government must introduce rent control and increase rent allowance to ensure people stay in the homes they are in and to stop the haemorrhaging of families on to the streets. It is a disgrace that spending on rent allowance has been cut by €200m in recent years. This money must be made available to families in the private rented sector.

On Wednesday, 19 August, Sinn Féin will holding a protest at the GPO, 12.30pm. This will be followed by protests across Dublin on Saturday.

(CD)