Browne must act as homelessness passes 18,000 for first time
Browne must act as homelessness passes 18,000 for first time - The Labour Party
Labour housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan TD today called on Housing Minister James Browne to set clear targets to reduce child and family homelessness and give councils the funding to keep tenants in their homes. The Department of Housing published its delayed September figures late on Friday, showing a record 18,065 people in emergency accommodation nationwide, including 5,897 children.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“These are devastating figures at the end of a week in which we also heard the State could fall well short of its own housing targets. There were 659 more children in emergency accommodation in September than a year earlier.
“This week Minister Browne launched his child and family homelessness action plan, that plan contains 43 actions to be implemented within a year, the clock has started ticking on that plan and the only proof of its success is a sustained reduction in children and families in homelessness.
“There are meaningful changes the Minister could make right now. Labour would increase funding for Tenant in Situ to €500 million. This would keep more families in their homes when landlords decide to sell.
“Minister Browne must publish the prevention framework, fund councils to keep families in their homes and set a deadline for bringing down the number of children in emergency accommodation. We need a renewed sense of urgency from Government to tackle the housing crisis. We need action – now.”