Govt Slammed Over Rise In Homelessness

Fianna Fáil has hit out at the government and the Environment Minister over the rise in the homelessness, despite promising to deal with it.

The party's candidate for Dublin Central Mary Fitzpatrick said the lack of a coherent Government policy to deal with the crisis means more families this year will spend Christmas on the streets.

She is calling on the govt and the Minister to urgently deal with the ongoing issue.


Ms Fitzpatrick commented: "The Government needs to stop talking about the problem and urgently do the following:

• Fast-track refurbishment and re-letting of vacant Local Authority Homes

• Increase rent supplement for people at risk of losing their private rented tenancy and or facing eviction

• Direct NAMA to stop the fire sale of lands suitable for housing and to use the lands to develop Social Housing

• Undertake a significant social house building programme to address chronic lack of supply

"It is unacceptable that more people are likely to end up homeless this Christmas as opposed to last year. There are 800 families and over 1,500 children homeless. Up to 80 families are becoming homeless in Dublin each month. The Government's failure to increase the Rent Supplement is forcing people out of their homes and into homelessness."

(CD/LM)