66 % increase in the number of homeless adults accessing emergency accommodation in Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim

There has been a 66 per cent increase in the number of homeless adults accessing emergency accommodation in counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim.

Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Deputy Pearse Doherty  labeled the Government’s housing and homelessness policies as both ‘disgraceful and shambolic’ following the publication of the most recent homelessness data which has revealed that in the twelve months to the end of July.

The figures, which are produced each month by the various local authorities as part of the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS) and which give details of the number of individuals accessing State-funded emergency accommodation, show that in July of this year a total of 50 adults were classified as being homeless in the northwest region, compared to just 30 in July 2016.

Deputy Doherty said: “The latest homelessness report from the Department of Housing shows that during the week of 24th to 30th July 2017, there were a total of 50 homeless adults accessing local authority managed emergency accommodation here in the northwest.

“We know that of those 50 individuals who were in receipt of either private and or temporary emergency accommodation in the region, 18 were forced to access services here in Donegal, while the remainder were in emergency accommodation based in Sligo.

“Compare these shocking figures to exactly 12 months ago, and we can see that there has been a huge 66 per cent increase in the number of adults here accessing emergency accommodation due to homelessness.

“And this is not just a freak, once off surge in the numbers of homeless adults. If we look at the month previous, we can see that there were 56 individuals forced into emergency accommodation here between 19th and 25th June 2017 – including three families and involving a total of ten dependents, who were most likely all children.

“Obviously, this data is a shameful indictment of the Government’s housing and homelessness policies which have to date failed to tackle the current homelessness crisis which, as these figures prove, is not simply just an urban problem.

“In fact, more and more what we are seeing is that rural counties, including Donegal, where only just over 12 months ago there were no adults accessing emergency accommodation from the local authority, are now experiencing homelessness at a much more acute level than previously.

“The fact that we are seeing not only homeless adults accessing this type of accommodation, but also entire families with young children is nothing short of a scandal.

“This government ought to hang their heads in shame as it has been their inaction and indifference to this crisis which has resulted in the most disadvantaged in our society being without a place to call home and instead being forced into unsuitable, temporary emergency accommodation.”