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File photo of a young child beside a Chsitmas tree Tatyana Tomsickova/Alamy Stock Photo

'Children are afraid Santa won't find them': Homeless families face 'traumatic' Christmas

Over 2,500 children in Ireland are currently homeless.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS been asked to prioritise ending child homelessness as thousands of people face another Christmas period in emergency accommodation.

A spokesperson for Focus Ireland, an organisation that supports homeless people across the country, has said that being homeless “causes terrible trauma for anyone but it hurts children the most, and families now have the added stress of Covid-19″.

They told The Journal: “Unfortunately, we face another Christmas where children will be spending their first year in emergency accommodation.

“Next year needs to be the time the State really starts to deliver more social housing so we can begin to see significant progress for more families and children who are without a home.”

The spokesperson noted that, under the Housing for All strategy, the Government has committed to ending all homelessness by 2030.

“We are asking the Government to prioritise the ending of child homelessness,” they added.

According to statistics released by the Department of Housing last month, 8,830 individuals were listed as homeless in October, including over 2,500 children.

Nearly 800 families and 1,903 children are homeless in Dublin, with the majority of these people staying in private emergency accommodation such as hotels, hostels and other residential facilities.

There are currently 1,220 households living in housing provided by Focus Ireland. These households are made up of a mix of individuals and families. This includes 465 households in Dublin, 209 in Waterford and 187 in Limerick.

Meanwhile, about 120 single people and over 70 families will be availing of COPE Galway’s emergency accommodation services this Christmas, while 41 single people and 13 families will be in supported transitional accommodation.

A spokesperson for COPE Galway, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness in the western county, told The Journal that Christmas is “an exceptionally difficult time for the men, women and children who are homeless”.

“It is especially difficult for families to be homeless at this time of year, where they are surrounded by talk and imagery of home, festivity, family and connection.

“Families have asked our staff for Christmas trees for the bed and breakfast bedrooms that will be their homes this Christmas, so that their families can have what most others have.

“Children have expressed anxieties that Santa might not know where to find them this year. No child should be without a home but sadly over 200 children will be accommodated by COPE Galway this Christmas.”

‘One of the greatest challenges’

When asked about the difficulties facing homeless people over the Christmas period and in general, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing said: “Homelessness, especially child homelessness, is one of the greatest challenges facing our country today and it is a key priority for the Government.”

The spokesperson noted that there have been “significant reductions in the number of children experiencing homelessness in recent years”, but added “the Minister and the Government know this is still far too high”.

The most recent monthly statistics, published last month about October, indicated that 1,082 families, with 2,513 associated children, were accessing emergency accommodation.

The spokesperson said this represents a fall of 39% since July 2018, when 1,778 families were recorded accessing emergency accommodation. However, they added that there “have been some recent increases in monthly homeless figures which are very concerning and that is why all efforts are being made to address this”.

The Government’s Housing for All plan was launched in September and aims to eradicate homelessness by 2030 – many opposition politicians have questioned whether or not this goal will be met.

A statement from the Department noted: “Under Housing for All, €4 billion in capital is being invested annually on social and affordable housing. This is the biggest such programme in the history of the State. There will be an increase in supply across all tenure types, with over 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable homes and 18,000 cost rental homes to be delivered by 2030.

“9,500 new build social homes will be delivered each year, on average, over the next five years. In 2022, 11,800 social homes will be delivered, including 9,000 new build homes. Also being put in place are the additional social, economic, health and family supports where these are needed. These measures combined will contribute to the eradication of homelessness by 2030.”

Support over Christmas

If a person finds themselves in need of emergency accommodation or other support over the Christmas period, they can contact Focus Ireland on 01 881 5900 or by emailing help@focusireland.ie.

People in need in Dublin can contact the Local Authority Assessment and Placement Service on 1800 707 707 or emailing homelesslist@dublincity.ie.

There is no change to Focus Ireland’s services operating over Christmas. All services will be running (in line with Covid restrictions) including the Coffee Shop in Dublin’s Temple Bar, which will be open on Christmas Day. Due to the pandemic, the Coffee Shop has moved to providing take-away food only.

COPE Galway’s emergency accommodation services will all continue to operate on a 24/7 basis throughout the Christmas period, including the Cold Weather Response at Osterley Lodge, Fairgreen Hostel and Corrib Haven Family Hub. The charity’s Families and Day Centre will also remain operational during Christmas and the New Year.

COPE Galway’s out of hours freephone helpline – 1800 788 887 – will operate between 7pm and 11pm daily.

Dublin region

The DRHE – on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – is the lead agency with responsibility for responding to homelessness across the capital.

The organisation works with several NGOs and private companies to run dozens of hostels and other accommodation facilities for homeless people in the Dublin region.

9369 Rough sleeper A rough sleeper pictured in Dublin city in August (file photo) RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

Throughout the Christmas period, the DRHE will continue to provide emergency accommodation and support services to people in need. All residential accommodation for families and individuals is operated on a continuous 24-hour basis, with meals and shower facilities provided on site.

The free homeless helpline 1800 707 707 will be operational from 10am to 10pm almost every day throughout the Christmas period for those who need access to emergency accommodation in the Dublin Region.

Reduced operating hours will apply on Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day – namely 1pm to 10pm. The Dublin Street Outreach Service can be contacted on 01 872 0185 from 7am to 1am.

There will be a pop-up mobile kitchen outside the Mansion House in Dublin city on Christmas Day from 10am to 1pm for a traditional takeaway meal.

A spokesperson said the DRHE, in partnership with Dublin Simon Outreach and the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) intake team, are “assertively working on the streets offering accommodation to all rough sleepers”, adding that this service “operates 365 days a year”.

The outreach teams also ensure that people who are sleeping rough are “linked with other appropriate health services such as addiction and mental health services to prevent further rough sleeping”, they added.

A full list of the service available in the Dublin region over the Christmas and New Year period can be read here.

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12 Comments
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    Mute Kieran OKeeffe
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    Sep 7th 2018, 1:04 AM

    Jays,please call an election..looking forward to chasing a certain labour td from my door

    164
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    Mute prop joe
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    Sep 7th 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Kieran OKeeffe: Labour? FFG have been in power since 1922. Liebour have had little or no power since the founding of the state.

    18
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    Mute D'Murph
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    Sep 7th 2018, 12:16 AM

    Media hungry more like, more in their line to sort out the pressing issues

    107
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    Mute Willy Malone
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    Sep 7th 2018, 12:39 AM

    Won’t be an election. Both men of FFG have the FEAR. They are clearly one and the charade has worn thin at this stage..

    139
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    Mute Acedeuce
    Favourite Acedeuce
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    Sep 7th 2018, 1:31 AM

    @Willy Malone: even if there was an election it’d be the same result sadly.. People would rather take a 5er extra a week over improving housing and even more shockingly take it over improving education.. I do understand why people don’t trust the government with spending and prioritising certain things.. But a lot of people in this country are just greedy. That’s another problem.. The youth suffer, people above 40 are grand.. Cycle will always continue

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    Mute Ole dan tucker
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    Sep 7th 2018, 6:37 AM

    @Acedeuce: just greedy? Ffs about 75% of income goes on tax. And the cost of living. More money won’t fix anything in this country, never did never will until the country is run like a business, might as well throw the fiver in a bottomless pit as give it to govt

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    Mute Jane
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    Sep 7th 2018, 7:20 AM

    @Acedeuce: people above 40 are the ones with massive mortgages cause they bought in the boom and many are still in negative equity.

    17
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    Mute Caped Crusader
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    Sep 7th 2018, 8:04 AM

    @Acedeuce: I earn over 40k and can assure i am not “grand”. I get along ok but spending €1400 a month on rent and trying to save the same for a mortgage while paying for medical insurance, car insurance, utilities etc etc means there is next to nothing left at the end of a month. One thing the left have succeeded in is conning the general public into believing once you earn a magical figure of 40/45k plus you are rich. To be safe and secure in this day and age a wage of 60k plus is needed.

    16
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    Mute ObsidianShine
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    Sep 7th 2018, 8:14 AM

    @Caped Crusader: I think he meant the age 40 not 40,000 euro

    11
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Sep 7th 2018, 5:45 AM

    Leo won’t be happy with that photo. There’s a few wrinkles in the clothes.

    67
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    Mute John Martin
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    Sep 7th 2018, 5:45 AM

    Both leaders are running scared, I think Varadker’s pr team are the more savvy at present, and Martin’s team are worried they have not carried on the momentum leading up to the last election. Both are very concerned the other opposition parties (all parties baring ff/fg) gained over 50% of the votes in the last election for the 1st time since independence, and the trend is continuing away from the big two, and towards the others. And this was achieved with the collapse of the labour vote, and the very low vote for the Green Party.
    So whilst most of the right wing media will show little attention to the fact, Varadker & Martin are very concerned to the raise in votes for the other parties.

    55
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    Mute Jane
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    Sep 7th 2018, 7:37 AM

    @John Martin: You’ve forgotten a few important facts there. Of that 50% that didn’t go to FF or FG, 18% went to Independents. How many of those are what you would consider left wing? Very few I’d say. 6.5% went to Labour, do you consider them left wing?
    That brings your 50% down to 25.5%.
    You’re left with a combination of SF, Solidarity, PBP, Greens and Social Democrats. They’d all need to dramatically increase their votes in the next election in order to form a government.

    10
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    Mute Lisa Byrne
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    Sep 7th 2018, 12:46 AM

    I am riddled with excitement about this 2 year ambitious plan that Leo has

    51
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    Mute Sean Conway
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    Sep 7th 2018, 7:05 AM

    Will he fixed the housing and health service? not a hope. he’s only a spoofer.

    52
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    Mute Patabake Kennedy
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    Sep 7th 2018, 12:34 AM

    This fella sure has a hankering for an election. Just call one Chap, I mean to say, have ya no idea at all that you are the so called leader of the Country and that you, yes you can call an election any auld time that you like.

    57
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    Mute Adrian
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    Sep 7th 2018, 7:04 AM

    Leo’s sends letter to martin saying he doesn’t want an election till 2020, but the FG meeting in Galway is full of new FG election candidates. Talk about mixed messages! The message to me is that FG is a shambolic mess, they are so busy trying to fool the public that they don’t know what they’re doing themselves!

    61
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    Mute lapsy pa
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    Sep 7th 2018, 1:16 AM

    sure look at them

    31
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    Mute Patabake Kennedy
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    Sep 7th 2018, 1:23 AM

    @lapsy pa: Fed up looking at them to tell ya the truth.

    64
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    Mute Irish Spider-Man
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    Sep 7th 2018, 12:53 AM

    Blueshirt numpties. Don’t vote for FG clowns

    119
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    Mute Sean Conway
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    Sep 7th 2018, 8:51 AM

    He’s on the radio now saying. ‘no quick fix to housing.’ meaning same old same old. call an election!!

    28
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    Mute Shane Zerbe
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    Sep 7th 2018, 7:27 AM

    Drain the swamp!

    38
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    Mute Michael Kelly
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    Sep 7th 2018, 7:33 AM

    If theres one thing I can’t Stand, its the Ball of Twits in this whimpering Country & when all is said & done, ” ahh sure I new they were neck & neck” over a steak dinner, everyones an expert type of thing, & everyone knew the outcome…. Grow a funcking pair..!

    13
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    Mute Sea Graham
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    Sep 7th 2018, 8:16 AM

    We’re damned if we do and damned if don’t. Look at the alternatives we have. FG looking after the rich. FF prepared to crawl into bed with anyone just to sit at the top of the class. LAB. Pretending to support the masses but nothing but self serving. PBP and the rest. Not a clue how the country or economy works with a one for everyone in the audience mentality. IND. Parish pump politics. Once my constituency is sorted to hell with the rest.

    13
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    Mute John
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    Sep 7th 2018, 8:29 AM

    @Sea Graham: exactly, could not have summed it up better.

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    Mute John Blessing
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    Sep 7th 2018, 3:23 PM

    Addicted to Mars bars and comes out of the closet. I wish he’d go back into the closet with his Mars Bars.

    8
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    Mute John Blessing
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    Sep 7th 2018, 3:18 PM

    Neither party will = $$$$$ They are two checks of the same a%&*

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    Mute Frankie Mangan
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    Sep 7th 2018, 5:58 PM

    They should just merge now because it’s inevitable in the future.

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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    Sep 7th 2018, 10:55 PM

    The sooner Leo and his posh boy’s go the better and make sure they take the FF idiots with them

    4
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