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THE NUMBER OF people who used Focus Ireland’s services last year increased by 30% compared to 2021.
The jump came as the number of homeless people in Ireland persistently rose and households struggled with cost of living increases.
Around 16,000 people used the charity’s services in 2022, rising from 12,300 the previous year.
The number of families – 1,668 – increased by 9%, while the number of children rose by a staggering 27% to 4,235.
Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said the increase was “due to many factors which include new services and housing developed during the year” but that it is “very clear that the main reason for the rise is that more people than ever before are now homeless or at serious risk of losing their home”.
“Sadly, the crisis has continued to deepen again this year as now a record total of 12,847 people are homeless,” he said.
Despite the increasing numbers we must always remember that homelessness is not inevitable. There are some initiatives that could be taken now to help ease this crisis with the stroke of a pen.
He said that one such policy action Focus Ireland is calling for is for the government “to establish a process for allocation of social housing which gives fairer access to households trapped in homelessness for extended periods”.
“The record delivery of social housing is having no impact on the number of families. The government must address this urgently,” Dennigan said.
“A fairer distribution of new housing would lift many children, families, and individuals out of homelessness more quickly – which would have the knock-on positive impact of easing the burden on over-stretched homelessness services.”
Focus Ireland’s annual report for 2022 detailed that it supported 1,598 households to settle into a new home in an exit from homelessness or to keep their homes, an increase from 1,288 in 2021.
Around 400 young people received support from its youth and aftercare services.
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FFG legacy.
@Davy: They prioritised landlordism over home ownership. With tenants paying double the mortgage to an idle landlord. Landlords increased since 2016 while home ownership reduced. Homelessness numbers in 2011 before FG came to power was under 4000 people. They’ve put housing into the rentier market, and pushed out homeownership.
Its grand everyone, we will be given tents to live in with the money we worked hard for. Houses are for people who dont contribute and wealthy people. Be graand.
You will be given tent’s to share in, not individually and pay more tax you will,the future is bright homeless rising, immigration rising,no where to live, generations coming up may learn survival skills in tents,not much else available unless they’re wealthy, people need to understand in this country we wait until the problem is beyond solving then we think of solving it,only then.
Focus Ireland:
Salary range paid in the financial year:
2022 2021
No of employees No of employees
€130,001–€140,000 1
€90,001–€100,000 5
€80,001–€90,000 – 3
€70,000–€80,000 8
€60,000–€70,000 15
@Dave Grant: homelessness is a huge industry now. It’s in all of these agencies interest to keep people without a home. Look at all the big salaried jobs that would go if everyone got a house.
@Dave Grant: this is what happens when you replace state bodies with unaccountable and unregulated charities
Charity is a sign of a failure in society
@Dave Grant: You work for free?
@Dave Grant: Things are done differently now compared to 5 years ago, more and more people are referred directly to Focus Ireland long before they are homeless, in a way this is good, Focus can help before things get bad, but it also inflates it’s client base.
@Chris O’Brien: charity is present in every country, the over reliance on many and prevalence in a developed country like ours is a symptom of the Tory parties in power who neglect all these people. Im one of em
Things do seem to be getting rather out of hand alright. The inertial acceleration now seems unstoppable regardless of any exterior force attempting put the brakes on to simply halt it, let alone reverse it. An ever expanding universe of homelessness and suffering. In fact we only deem to be fueling the engines day in day out.
@Keth Tgi: the government sees nothing wrong with housing people in tents despite they’re health conditions and weather,dail eireann won’t be staying in the tents so it’s as good as a house in they’re eyes hence use more fields with tents is most likely the new norm now as it’s quite obvious there is nothing else available it’s very wrong on those people,o gorman should be sacked immediately the idiot.
Some commentators here suggesting we need a ‘radical socialist agenda’ to solve the situation. Sorry, but isn’t that what we have right now?
@Keth Tgi: Exactly,I always laugh at that type of commentary.It’s less socialism we need not more.
@Keth Tgi: no, it certainly isnt. Its a corporate, pro landlord system
All of these charities believe we can house the world. I’ve given up donating to them.
@Chris O’Brien: I agree. Charity is a sign of a failed society, or perhaps the failures of a government to properly aim the spend. It’s a form of tax given by the naive who believe a government are doing all they can. That said, I agree with charities giving money to outside countries that are basket cases or victims of catastrophe.
A significant contributing factor to homelessness are people who are caught up in addiction. Large numbers of males drinking to excess, creating domestic violence, being rightfully kicked out by their partners because they can’t get their act together.
Only a true socialist agenda can solve homelessness and healthcare for all.
And don’t even try to start quoting nasty dictator like communists like Stalin, China, Castro or other soo called socialists, it’s never been done.
@Ate “8 Waved Sun” Waved Sun: If you were to go down that road who would bother working?…. I’d seriously consider giving it up myself(and I have a good work ethic)can you imagine the ones that don’t.
100k a year of Ukrainians arriving is new normal for Ireland so just need to build and buy much more houses and apartments for them especially in North Dublin.
It’s a tent or if you can pull it off a campervan,not much point in starting a family not much of a future unless you have a very good income otherwise slave away and sleep rough and watch the countrys generations housing collapse slowly bit by bit, emigrate for a future, Australia and US won’t be letting you in unless you’ve 5000 in you’re account and a job lined up opposite way round here,wonder why there’s a housing crisis, tough one.
have your say