Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has said that the number of homeless children is at an all-time high, with numbers steadily increasing every month since the Government came into office.

The Sinn Féin TD was commenting after the release of the Department of Housing’s March homelessness figures showed yet another rise in individual, family, and child homelessness. The latest figures show that 7,472 people, including 2,563 children, are now living in emergency accommodation.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The numbers of homeless children in Dublin, and across the State, are now at their highest rate since records began.

“Figures published by the Department of Housing shows there were 2,137 children in emergency accommodation in Dublin during the week of March 20th-26th, with a national total of 2,563 homeless children.

“The Dublin figure represents a 24 per cent increase on the March 2016 figure and there has been 11 straight months of homelessness increases.

“Minister Coveney has been in office for 12 months and during that time adult, family and child homelessness has increased by a fifth.

“It is clear that this Government is failing homeless families despite all their announcements. The Government is clearly violating the right of citizens’ to adequate housing, which is provided for in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the European Social Charter. The right to adequate housing is an important human right.

“Minister Coveney’s polices, and grand announcements about solutions, have not stemmed the tide of families and their children falling into homelessness. Every month since he became Minister for Housing, the homeless levels have increased.

“I am calling on Minister Coveney to make a statement in the Dáil next week as to why homeless levels are continuing to rise. He must also clearly explain how his Department plans to meet his commitment that no families would be living in hotels and B&Bs by July this year.”

ENDS