Introduction
Resolving the housing and homeless crisis must be a key priority for the next government.
The unprecedented times we find ourselves in with the impact of COVID-19 serves to heighten the plight of over 10,000 people experiencing homelessness. A home is more than four walls and a roof, it is our safe space, our grounding, and is crucial to our health.
The incoming government must implement an ambitious and innovative plan to deliver affordable housing across tenure types. This will work to create
a housing system that recognises that the home is a fundamental building block in our social and economic lives, and critical to our health. A balanced system that respects the right of each person to have access to a secure, affordable home has the potential to end homelessness in Ireland and ensure that we do not see a return of such a homelessness crisis again.
To achieve this, priority has to be given to homeless and housing policies that will deliver affordable, secure homes and keep those most at risk of homelessness from losing their homes in the first place.
With that infrastructure in place the continued investment in the evolving collaboration between frontline services, local authorities and government departments can end long-term homelessness and the need to sleep rough.
