Homeless becoming ‘economic refugees’

The Government has been warned thousands of homeless children and families are being turned into “economic refugees” because the housing crisis is forcing them to travel up to 50km for emergency accommodation every day.

Homeless becoming ‘economic refugees’

Fianna Fáil TD Pat Casey hit out at the situation during a debate on child homelessness on the final day of the Dáil before its month-long Christmas break. The debate was attended by just 19 TDs and only one Government minister.

Speaking after latest figures showed that 3,194 children are now homeless in Ireland and a month after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar claimed the national homelessness rate is “low”, Mr Casey said the Government is blind to the crisis.

Describing what he claims is an increasingly regular scene at his family’s hotel in Glendalough, Co Wicklow, Mr Casey said homeless families with children are travelling 50km from Dublin because nowhere else is available.

“In over 40 years in the hotel business, through three recessions in the 1970s, 1980s, and the most recent crash, I never witnessed until this year what I am about to outline,” he said.

“The Glendalough Hotel is located in a very rural part of Wicklow, 50km from Dublin City, which we all know is the epicentre of the child and family homelessness crisis. On several occasions this year, my hotel has accommodated families with children a little embarrassed about arriving not as tourists but economic refugees.

“It makes all of us at the hotel ashamed that this is the Ireland we live in.

“Glendalough is a place of inspiration, tranquility, and a reminder of the historic achievements of Ireland’s ancient past. Sadly, it is now about part of our story of modern Ireland’s shameful present.”

Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster became emotional as she recounted her daughter saying to her “Mam, he was crying”, after giving money to a homeless man on O’Connell St, Dublin.

“He felt that no one gave a damn about him,” she said. “I want the minister to think about those children over Christmas and about every single person who is waiting to be housed by the State.”

Stressing that he understands Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is genuinely trying to address the matter from within his political perspective, Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said Mr Varadkar’s recent claim that some people want a “free home” comes from “utter ignorance and detachment from reality”.

Green Party TD Catherine Martin said the Government must stop spinning on the issue, while Labour’s Jan O’Sullivan said that “our focus today and as we enter the new year must be on action, what we can do rather than what we can say”.

Mr Murphy told the Dáil the Government is doing everything it can to address the homelessness crisis. He pledged to ensure that every rough sleeper has a bed this Christmas.

Fine Gael TD and housing committee chair Maria Bailey said she understands the anger and concern over the crisis, but said “rhetoric will not build houses”.

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