Labour’s homeless families bill must be priority in September

Labour's homeless families bill must be priority in September

• Charities like Focus Ireland cannot continue to pick up the pieces of failed Govt policy

Labour leader and housing spokesperson Ivana Bacik has called on the Minister for Housing to prioritise Labour's Homeless Families Bill upon resumption of the Dáil on September 18th.

As Focus Ireland report a 12.5% increase in the number of people supported by the charity in 2023, Deputy Bacik said there must be a change in approach to the treatment of children and families in homeless situations.

Deputy Bacik said:

"I am calling again on this Government to progress the Labour Party's Homeless Families Bill, which seeks to ensure the best interests of children are recognised by Local Authorities in an emergency accommodation situation.

"Since Labour introduced this Bill, child homelessness has increased shamefully under Fine Gael and supported by Fianna Fáil. Rather than tackling homelessness and preventing families from entering emergency accommodation, Government instead seems to have accepted the dystopian reality of children sleeping in hotel rooms and hostels.

"This Government have utterly thrown in the towel on tackling the housing crisis. Labour has long advocated for increased state involvement in housing delivery.

"We have a clear vision to address this crisis, proposing an additional €1.45 billion in capital for housing delivery. Our plan is comprehensive: we will protect renters, end speculative land hoarding, and double the state's delivery of cost rental and affordable housing. These measures are crucial to ensure that every person has access to a safe, secure, and affordable home.

"It is time for the Government to admit that their approach is not working. We need substantial state intervention to correct the housing market and ensure that every person in this country can live in a safe, secure, and affordable home. The time for excuses is over; it is time for action."