Big rise expected in cost of housing homeless families in Dublin, TDs to hear

Ombudsman for Children to say young people have borne biggest brunt of housing crisis

As of May 31, there were 1,589 families in homeless accommodation in Dublin. Stock image

Mary Regan

Child homelessness is a “crisis of epic proportions”, the Children’s Ombudsman will tell TDs today, saying that children have “borne the biggest brunt” of the housing problem.

Dr Niall Muldoon will deliver the stark message as Dublin City Council predicts the amount spent on emergency accommodation for homeless families and individuals in the capital will increase by €35m this year.

Spending has more than trebled in the last decade and reached €320m last year. It is expected to reach €355m in 2025, according to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) that operates on behalf of all the capital’s local authorities.

DRHE director Mary Hayes will tell the Oireachtas Housing Committee this afternoon that the local authorities are examining alternatives to privately contracting emergency accommodation “through acquisition/purchase, use of our lands, and adapting existing buildings for use”.

Notices of termination are the biggest driver of homelessness in the capital

Her opening submission says emergency accommodation “is very costly in both human and economic terms” and that there is a “strong will to move away” from contracting from the private sector.

As of May 31, there were 1,589 families and 4,912 single adults in homeless accommodation in Dublin.

Notices of termination, largely driven by landlords selling their property, are the biggest driver of homelessness in the capital and is growing every year – rising from 32pc of new presentations in 2023 to 42pc this year.

Discharges from direct provision make up around a quarter of adult homelessness presentations – something that Ms Hayes described as a “concern”.

She also raises concern around the potential for increased family homelessness as a result of decisions to move families with asylum status from one part of the country to another.

The impact of homelessness and unstable living conditions on children is catastrophic

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman for Children will express his frustration that no progress is being made.

Dr Muldoon says it is “exasperating” to have to repeatedly deliver the message that even short-term exposure to homelessness “can have a lifelong impact on children”.

His statement says: “The impact of homelessness and unstable living conditions on children is catastrophic. It affects every aspect of their lives; education, well-being, self-development.”

He will say it also has a “monumental impact” on the ability of children to access services and supports.

Children in homelessness have worries around “space, privacy, noise, not being able to have visitors, feelings of shame and embarrassment”, he says.

The effects have “rippled across society” and “children have borne the biggest brunt of the ongoing crisis and we cannot forget that”.

Current laws, he says, treat children as a dependant of homeless adults – “that is wrong”.

He says until children are considered in their own right, and their specific circumstances addressed, it will be difficult to make significant progress”.

He will say: “Children are resilient, but children are aware. Children see what is going on and they are affected and we can’t allow more and more children to be impacted by this crisis.”