Record High Homelessness Sparks Calls for Emergency Accommodation Closer to Families

There are fears the number of homeless people has not reached its peak.

The latest figures show over 15,000 people accessed emergency accommodation last month - another record high - and a 10% increase on the same time last year. The number of children in homelessness has exceed 4,600, an 11% rise on last year. TheNews comes as Rosslare councillor Jim Codd has been calling for emergency accommodation units to be located closer to those who need them. The Aontú councillor says this should be the case in particular for homeless children, and their parents: "It's terrible to find yourself homeless, or on the brink of homelessness, but when you eventually succeed to get emergency accommodation, let's not have it at the far side of the county, where people have no way often of getting their children to school." Councillor Codd went on to say that the pressures placed on those who find themselves homeless, should be minimised: "I remember one particular case where a lady had her children in school in Taghmon, but the emergency accommodation was at the far side of the county, how difficult this can be. It's hard enough to be homeless and end up in a B&B, then have to try to make your way - and in some cases, quite often, these people don't drive or they may not have cars during the most horrific situation, on the verge of sleeping rough in very many cases."