Reacting to the release by Dublin City Council of the latest rough sleeping count Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O’Sullivan, TD said:
"The stubbornly high number of rough sleepers in Dublin reflects the gravity of the challenge facing the Government, the voluntary sector and other agencies in tackling the homelessness problem. I have sought to put in place real solutions for people who find themselves without a home. Investment of nearly €50m has been provided by central and local government in the provision of homeless services in 2012."
"Progress has been made in the area of homelessness but unfortunately that is not enough. The Dublin figures released today are a stark reminder of the complexity of the homelessness issue and the difficulties in finding answers to it. It is not tolerable that anyone should sleep on the streets. It is not good enough and we cannot sit idly by. One of my priorities is to ensure that homeless people have access to secure, stable, appropriate accommodation. Short-term interventions are not a long-term solution to homelessness. We need to continue to focus on long-term solutions to homelessness."
"In this very cold winter period, I would like to reiterate my Department’s recent advice to housing authorities, to have adequate arrangements in place to make accommodation available if necessary and to be vigilant with regard to rough sleepers, particularly in relation to individuals who may not normally access services. Housing authorities have been advised that a proactive approach should be maintained, including appropriate monitoring and contact. I note that Dublin City Council is currently implementing its ‘Cold Weather Strategy that provides emergency accommodation to people who are sleeping rough."
"As Minister, I believe that the solution to homelessness is to provide people with a home where they can live as full and valued members of society. That is why Government policy in this area is moving to a housing-led approach rather than the traditional model that places hostel or shelter-type accommodation at the centre of accommodation provision. This change will take time to implement, but I am committed to seeing it through. People deserve the dignity of a home. Homelessness was a priority I identified when I was appointed as Minister. It remains so today."
"Early in the New Year, I intend to issue a policy statement on homelessness. I will be indicating what I expect from housing authorities and other stakeholders in accelerating progress towards realising the ambition of eliminating involuntary long-term homelessness."
Note for Editors:
Rough sleeping is monitored closely countrywide but particularly in Dublin where the problem is most prevalent. The Dublin Region’s Outreach team work on an ongoing basis to engage with all individuals sleeping rough with the specific goal of moving people into accommodation through the Dublin City Council Central Placement Service.
The problem of rough sleeping is limited outside of Dublin, with Cork, Waterford, Limerick, and Galway City Councils reporting sufficient bed capacity on a nightly basis and that there is no one sleeping rough due to a lack of a bed.
Unfortunately, housing authorities consistently report the existence of a small number of entrenched rough sleepers who are unwilling to avail of accommodation. This group has been particularly difficult to engage with due to reasons such as mental health issues and aggressive behaviour. Outreach teams continue to work to try and provide solutions for this group and to encourage these persons to avail of accommodation and where they refuse to do so Outreach teams ensure that they have sufficient food and bedding.