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The Journal
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Homelessness figures hit record of 15,915 people in emergency accommodation
LAST UPDATE | 53 mins ago THE NUMBER OF people in the State officially recognised as homeless stands at 15,915 according to the latest figures. A total of 15,747 people were living in emergency accommodation in May, meaning there has been an increase of 168 recorded as homeless. Today's overall figure includes 4,958 children – an increase of 114 on last month's figures. The statistics do not include people rough sleeping, refugees, asylum seekers, individuals in domestic violence shelters, or those experiencing 'hidden homelessness', such as sleeping in cars, on couches, or other unsuitable living conditions. The figures are taken from the week of 23-29 in June. Of the adults accessing emergency accommodation, 7,755 were in Co Dublin. Some 660 adults were in Cork, 510 were in Limerick, and 238 were in Galway. Meanwhile, there were 3,666 children living in emergency accommodation in Dublin. Nationwide, 2,320 families are in emergency accommodation. 'Shameful milestone' Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne described today's figures as a 'shameful milestone' and he said it shows how the 'government continues to deprioritise homelessness'. Advertisement 'This is what happens when you do not protect vulnerable renters, or prevent them from becoming homeless,' said Hearne. 'These numbers are real families and real children experiencing serious trauma day in and day out – their plight cannot be ignored any longer.' Meanwhile, Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin remarked that the 'government failure is normalising homelessness'. 'There has been no emergency response to the ever-deepening homelessness crisis. Instead, there is just empty words and cruel inaction,' he added. Ó Broin called for an 'emergency ban on evictions' and an 'emergency supply of social homes to get people out of homeless accommodation'. Elsewhere, the Simon Communities Of Ireland noted a 'concerning trends is the sharp rise in homelessness among older people'. Some 249 adults over the age of 65 are in emergency accommodation – this is a 104% increase when compared to 2020, when 122 people in the age cohort were homeless. Ber Grogan, Executive Director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said 'more older people are now left without an affordable, appropriate, secure place to call home'. He also noted the increase in 'children being forced to experience the trauma of homelessness over the last number of years'. 'These are two of the most vulnerable groups in society,' said Grogan. 'The Government must show they care,' he added. 'This crisis demands an age-appropriate, compassionate response.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
10-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Proposal for state-backed savings scheme for social and affordable housing
The Social Democrats have published proposals for a state-backed savings scheme which would provide funding for social and affordable housing. The savings scheme is along the lines of a French scheme, called the Livret A, which has been in operation for decades and is consistently among the most popular savings products. The party's housing spokesperson, Rory Hearne TD, rejected suggestions it was along the lines of the Celtic Tiger-era SSIA savings scheme, stating that money was not ringfenced for anything. Deputy Hearne said the party's Homes for Ireland savings scheme could provide a real solution for the housing crisis that would give people hope that the "housing disaster" was solvable. The TD for Dublin North-West said the current housing situation was "a social catastrophe and the biggest issue facing our country". "We're saying to young people, the housing crisis does not have to go on, new policies can solve the issue," he said. Deputy Hearne said such a savings scheme could channel some of the €163bn currently on deposit in Irish banks. Increase to social and affordable homes He said the funds would then be channelled through agencies like Home Building Finance Ireland or the Housing Finance Agency who would then provide favourable finance rates to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to build social and affordable housing. Deputy Hearne said this would not provide "more shoebox apartments by funds", but rather much-needed social and affordable homes. He pointed out that in France, some €19bn was provided for social and affordable housing in 2020. He said if Irish savers amassed €1.5 - €2bn in deposits, this could be used to fund between 6,000 and 7,000 units per year. The TD said the Government repeatedly claimed that the Opposition was not providing ideas to solve the housing crisis, and said "here's a solution". Also speaking at the event was Professor of Social Policy in UCD, Michelle Norris who sat on the Housing Commission. Professor Norris said the Commission had recommended that the level of social and cost-rental housing needs to be doubled – so around 20% of the population are living in the sector. She said while a lot of public money was currently being spent on social housing, this was not matched by the building of social housing. Housing waiting lists She said people were spending years on social housing waiting lists, and there needed to be measures to promote counter-cyclical investment in housing, meaning that housing could still be built during an economic downturn. She said the scheme in France had provided a stable, low cost source of finance for social housing providers. "France has managed to double its supply of social housing to the levels of supply the [Housing] commission recommended for Ireland to about 22% of the population," Prof Norris added. She said the Livret A scheme provides a really stable source of funding so the sector is not entirely dependent on government, and said it was suitable for the Irish context. Professor Norris said the Housing Commission recommended in its report that the scheme should be underpinned by legislation, a Social Housing Act, to guard against privatisation.
Extra.ie
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
TD accuses the Government of ‘sabotaging' its housing policy
Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne has accused the Government of sabotaging its own housing strategy after 500 social homes were found to cost close to €1million each. A further 2,500 homes have been delayed until concerns about value for money are resolved. Responding to the rising furore at the weekend, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the cost of the almost 3,000 social homes which were to be delivered, and have now been delayed, were so high that if they had gone ahead, the Minister for Housing would have been 'up before the Public Accounts Committee'. Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne has accused the Government of sabotaging its own housing strategy. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos Mr Hearne, the Social Democrats' housing spokesman, said that as the Government talks of an 'emergency', its 'actions, cutting key housing projects, suspending funding and gutting homelessness prevention schemes, tell a very different story'. Mr Hearne said the Government had already lost €8million on developing the projects. He called on Minister James Browne to explain, saying: 'How the hell were social housing projects that were about to start on site pulled at the last minute? Minister Browne said: 'I am determined to deliver these homes, and we are assessing the quickest way to do this while ensuring value for taxpayers' money.' Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photo 'It is beyond comprehension. We talk about incompetence; this has gone from incompetence to sabotage.' Minister Browne said: 'I am determined to deliver these homes, and we are assessing the quickest way to do this while ensuring value for taxpayers' money.'
Irish Examiner
02-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Residential Tenancies Board's new ICT system €5.2m over budget
A new ICT system for the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) ran €5.2m over budget and was delivered 29 months late, without all planned functions. The online tenancy registration system was initially budgeted at €3.3m, and came into use in November 2021, but it reached an overall cost of €8.5m, bringing it over budget by 157%. After the RTB360 system went live, the RTB noted in its annual report that the cost had reached €7.3m but stated that "no further costs are expected for this phase". However, the commencement of annual tenancy registration in April 2022 saw "significant performance failures" arise for users and further development was required through 2023, with the operation issues resolved towards the end of the year. Initially, the associated costs for the further development work was estimated at just over €1.1m. Temporary pause As a result of these system failures, a temporary pause in the automatic charging of late fees was introduced in November 2022 and remained in place until March 1, 2024. During 2023, the RTB refunded €1.67m in late fees, while the data on fees refunded in 2024 has not been published. In the 2023 annual report, it is also noted that the original scope for the system included system requirements for handling disputes and enforcement, which were not included. The RTB has since "adopted a new approach" to deliver a dispute-resolution system using the ServiceNow platform, with a pilot beginning testing last month. The first phase of this new system will be delivered within one year and has cost less than €1m to date, according to an RTB spokesperson. In light of the drastic cost overrun and delay in delivery, the RTB board commissioned an independent external review of the RTB360 project. A spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that it had "received legal advice that currently prevents us from sharing this report" but said recommendations from the review have been implemented. Rory Hearne questioned whether State agencies require more support for ICT projects. Picture: PA Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne submitted a parliamentary question to housing minister James Browne regarding RTB360 but was told the minister has "no official responsibility to Dáil Éireann for this matter". As the RTB is a State body, Mr Hearne said Mr Browne should be taking responsibility to respond, just as other ministers must when it comes to State agencies being held accountable. The issues raised by RTB360 and other ICT projects which have resulted in significant overspend beg the question as to whether State agencies require more support and resources when such projects are being undertaken, Mr Hearne added. Read More 50th anniversary of Seamus Heaney's landmark collection on Troubles to be marked
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Opposition vows to fight any Government plan to remove rent caps
On Monday, TDs from Sinn Féin, Labour, Social Democrats and People Before Profit launched a joint Raise the Roof housing initiative, which includes a protest outside Leinster House in June. The parties called for 'emergency action' to be taken to tackle the housing crisis, and criticised the Government's approach. The protest will come as TDs will bring forward a private member's motion on tackling the housing crisis in the coming weeks. Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said the Government is missing 'all of their targets'. 'We want to make a very, very strong call to say that this Government, this do-nothing Government, is letting people down, and the only way we're going to tackle this crisis is with emergency action,' Mr Ó Broin said. Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne described the housing issue in Ireland as a 'social catastrophe' and added that the Government action has not been much of the same, but worse. 'They have completely failed to treat this crisis like an emergency,' Mr Hearne said. Mr Hearne said it appeared the Government wanted to remove protections from renters in the middle of a housing emergency and said it was 'completely taking us off a cliff in terms of commencements, in terms of planning permissions'. In recent weeks, the Housing Agency delivered its report on rent pressure zones (RPZs) to housing minister James Browne, in which it recommended changes to the rent cap system. 'I think we need, in the opposition, to actively within the institutions, within the Dáil, within the committees, absolutely oppose any attempt to remove those rent caps, because it is just unthinkable that this Government would remove that protection that renters have in the middle of an emergency,' Mr Hearne said. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Ó Broin said Sinn Féin would fight changes to rent caps and put pressure on the Government both inside and outside the Oireachtas to force the it to 'stand by renters'. 'Any move by Government to allow landlords to increase the rent burden on tenants, a rent burden that is already far too high, will be strongly resisted, not just by our political parties here and the Raise the Roof movement, but I think by thousands and thousands of people,' Mr Ó Broin said. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said a housing emergency needed to be declared. 'We need to act as if there's a housing emergency and that means pivoting away from reliance on the private sector, reliance on the market to deliver housing and instead for a much, much greater role of the state,' Mr Murphy said. 'So that's why we want people to come out at 6pm on Tuesday the June 17, outside the Dáil, and to send a very, very clear message to this government,' he added.
