Homeless centres not an environment for children, warns Fr McVerry
The Father Peter McVerry Trust wants the Taoiseach to declare a national emergency to prevent evictions and ensure mortgage-to-rent options for those in arrears.
Over 2,000 children were classed as homeless in April according to the latest Department of the Environment numbers – a 90% increase compared to the same time last year.
“Putting those children into those centres … it’s outrageous,” said Fr McVerry.
“These are centres where you have people with active addiction, you have people with huge behavioural problems.
“I have no doubt that the staff try to keep them as far apart as possible, but it’s not an environment for children.”
The CEO of Threshold has said that more homes need to come on stream immediately if we are to tackle the homelessness crisis.
Bob Jordan will be appearing before the Housing and Homelessness Committee this morning to discuss the issue.
It comes as new figures from the housing agency indicate that up to 250,000 houses are lying empty around the country.
Mr Jordan said that we need to protect people who are in danger of losing their homes.
"Last year, about one in every five households that came to Threshold looking for help were at immediate risk of homelessness,
"We need to stem the risk of people going into homelessness, and a lot of that has to do with rent supplements, receiverships, people getting evicted from their homes.
"We obviously welcome Minister Coveney's recent announcement that he's doubling the number of modular homes to 1,000., but we really need to see new supply come on stream sooner rather than later if the number of people in emergency accomodation is going to go down."
