The number of people who are presenting as homeless in Donegal has almost doubled between January and February 2019.
Twenty one households were accessing emergency accommodation from Donegal County Council last month, which is a 75% rise from the 12 households registered in January.
The latest report from the Department of Housing has revealed that the number of homeless people in Ireland has exceeded 10,000 for the first time. Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy described the figures as “hugely disappointing” as it emerged that 6,480 adults and 3,784 children were accessing emergency accommodation in February 2019.
Sixty one adults and eleven families were recorded as homeless in the entire North West region of Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo in February.
In response to the report, Minister Murphy said: “The increase in homelessness in February is hugely disappointing. Our plans to fix the supply of both social and private housing are working and this is borne out by the most recent build figures. The latest RTB report also shows rent falling at the end of 2018. And yet still we see more people entering emergency accommodation.”
“I am in constant contact with local authorities and am working with them to help move families out of emergency accommodation and into sustainable housing solutions,” he said.
Donegal County Councillor Liam Doherty has said that the number of people experiencing homelessness is “unacceptable” and shows that government policy is failing to tackle the problem.
He added: “This is simply deplorable and it is totally unacceptable that in the Ireland of 2019 we have entire families entering homelessness and living in emergency accommodation.
“These figures also prove that homelessness is not simply an urban phenomenon but that rural counties such as Donegal too are struggling to deal with the housing and homelessness crisis gripping this state.
“In the eight years since Fine Gael took office there has been an increase of 490% in the number of homeless children across the state, up from 641 in 2011.”
Cllr Doherty said that the Minister’s ‘disappointment’ with the figures is an understatement.
He added: “It should be remembered that Sinn Féin put down a motion of no confidence in Minister Murphy earlier this year, and he is only in his position because Fianna Fáil failed to support it.
“As a Councillor, I pledge to continue to engage with officials at local authority level to find ways of improving emergency accommodation services for people in our county experiencing homelessness, and I will continue to work closely with families and those facing homelessness to ensure that they can access the supports they so badly need.”
