Reduction in Homeless figures should not lead to further complacency

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government Darragh O’Brien has said that while the reduction in the number of people homeless people is welcome, there is a long way to go to fix the housing crisis created by Fine Gael.
Figures released by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government data showed a decline in people in emergency accommodation with 9,731 in homelessness at the end of 2019.
Figures the previous month showed that there was 10,448 people living in emergency accommodation.
Deputy O’Brien said: “There is usually a seasonal decrease in homeless figures in December, we still have 9,731 people without a home in Ireland and this is a crisis which has been created by the legacy of the Fine Gael led government. The ongoing failure of the Fine Gael government to resolve the homelessness crisis is an affront to the basic decency of our country.
“The number of children living in emergency accommodation remains at an unacceptable level. Their record of missed targets and the continued plight of families in hotel rooms is a damning indictment of government policy. Achieving some 50,000 new social housing units by 2025 will address the long-term issue of supply of affordable units for households.
“Ending the rough sleeping of homeless people on our streets is a moral and social imperative. Unfortunately, this group of people has not been a priority under Fine Gael,” concluded Deputy O’Brien.