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Number of homeless people living in emergency accommodation increases by 171

Number of homeless people living in emergency accommodation increases by 171

There were 9,698 homeless people living in emergency accommodation in September, an increase of 171 on the previous month, according to the latest figures.

Figures from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government show that of the almost 10,000 people who are homeless, 3,829 of these are children.

There was a 16% rise in the number of people without a home last month when compared with September 2017 when 8,374 people were homeless, according to Focus Ireland.

The charity released figures today which show that three families became homeless every day last month in Dublin, a total of 88 families with 193 children becoming newly homeless.

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Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said: “There is some positive news as we are managing to ensure that the number of people living in emergency accommodation is not rising as fast as it was last year. This have been achieved by the combined hard work of staff in Focus Ireland, other homeless organisations, local authorities and the DRHE.

"However, it is totally unacceptable and wrong that at the same time three families became homeless every single day in September in Dublin alone. This again shows that there will be no solution to the homeless crisis until the Government takes serious measures to prevent families losing their homes.

“Focus Ireland has repeatedly highlighted through our services and research that the main reason families are becoming homeless is that they are being evicted from their homes by private landlords due to properties being sold or repossessed.

"The Government appear to be just accepting this as a natural phenomenon is can do nothing about. But in fact it can take several meaningful steps to make people more secure in their homes.

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"Much more can – and must be – done if we are to end this terrible human crisis and protect the childhoods of nearly 4,000 children currently homeless," he said.

Focus Ireland set out two actions which it suggests could be implemented immediately to reduce the number of people becoming homeless.

It says legislation should be better enforced in relation to people becoming homeless after receiving notice from their landlords.

Funding should be provided to Approved Housing Bodies and Local Authorities to purchase buy-to-let loans from vulture funds where the tenants are eligible for social housing and faced with homelessness, the charity also suggests.

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