Budget 2022 cut funding for homeless services by €24 million
Housing for All is nothing more than a meaningless slogan given homelessness has risen for the fifth month in a row, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan T.D
“The latest homelessness figures, published by the Department of Housing today, show the number of people who are homeless and living in emergency accommodation has increased to 8,475. There has also been a 10pc increase in the number of children who are homeless in just two months.
This is the fifth month in a row that the number of people who are homeless has increased. The government’s Housing for All slogan means nothing when homelessness rises month after month on their watch.
“Homelessness is not inevitable. It is the direct result of decisions made by the government. This includes a decision not to increase spending on homeless prevention and Housing First. Budget 2022 cut funding for homeless services by €24 million. How can this be justified when homeless numbers are on the rise?
“Instead of cutting funding for homeless services, the government should have allocated more resources for Housing First tenancies – a model which has proven successful at ending long-term homelessness.
“Without the required funding and a comprehensive plan, the government’s goal of ending homelessness by 2030 is doomed to be yet another broken promise.
“As a country, we cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results. The Minister for Housing must produce a detailed, costed and funded plan to end homelessness in Ireland.”
29 October, 2021
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