Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has accused the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien of being “asleep at the wheel” as the latest Department of Housing homeless report shows homeless numbers surge upwards.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“The latest report from the Department of Housing shows that in July there were 10,492 adults and children in emergency accommodation funded by the Department. This is an increase of 124 people since May.

“The number of children officially classified as homeless increased by 43 to 3,071. The most significant increase was amongst single adults – up 123 since May to 5,177.

“In July there were just 22 fewer people in emergency accommodation that at the October 2019 peak. There is little doubt that this high point has since been passed.

“The Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien is asleep at the wheel as homeless numbers surge upwards.

“I have been calling for a number of months for an emergency response. Unfortunately the Minister is not listening.

“Social housing is way behind schedule. The private rental sector is shrinking. 

“Not a single emergency measure commensurate with the scale of the homeless crisis has been introduced to date. 

“We need an emergency ban on evictions into homelessness. We need an acceleration of social housing output. 

“We need the deployment of high quality modular homes to get people out of emergency accommodation. 

“We need a dramatic increase in the purchase of properties where HAP or RAS tenants have notices to quit. 

“If the Minister doesn’t act in the days and weeks ahead, this crisis will continue to get worse.”