In a world beset by wars, the relentless upward march of homelessness in Ireland has struggled for attention in recent months.
In May, homelessness reached another record high with 15,747 people in emergency accommodation.
Since 2014, the number of children in emergency accommodation has increased nearly five-fold to 4,844.
In a country with unprecedented demand for housing it is unsurprising some people find themselves being squeezed out of private sector accommodation.
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However, eleven years is two full cycles of government. And the squeeze is unabated. In a climate – in recent years at least – where resources have not been a limiting factor, the focus lands on how the government is utilising its abundant resources.
It is hard to point to successes.
Each person, each family referred to in these statistics, is a life in statis as a key social requirement remains unmet, often for considerable time.
As Kitty Holland notes, these statistics do not include people without homes and living in domestic violence shelters, with friends and family, sleeping rough or who have permission to remain in Ireland but are stuck in International Protection accommodation as they cannot access housing.
The key pillar of the Government’s response to housing pressures has been to stimulate the private sector to build more.
But it is struggling with delivery as double-digit inflation in housing prices and rents prompt house builders to seek higher margins amid frustration with the planning system.
The bigger picture is the inability of recent governments to tackle severe limitations in water, electricity, planning and high volume public transport links.
Minister for Housing James Browne recently admitted that the target of building 41,000 homes this year under its housing plan will not be met.
The challenge for the Government is that even this early in its term, its credibility is under scrutiny.
While there is talk of yet another new housing plan, the government and those languishing in homelessness, may be better served by a shift in focus.
Most government plans – including the current Coalition’s promise to provide 300,000 by the end of its term – are limited to its five-year period in office.
This fosters short-termism.
In big infrastructure terms, five years is a short period. Planning for the Luas started in 1994, construction in 1999 and the first trams ran in 2004.
The CSO estimates that on current trends Ireland’s population will grow from 5.18 million in 2022 to up to 6.40 million by 2042.
The scale of the challenge is clear and short term 3 to 5-year plans to fit an electoral cycle are unlikely to be sufficient.
Five Key Reads
- David McWilliams writes this weekend that it’s not bad people who destroy cities, it’s bad incentives, and asks ‘what’s stopping us converting Dublin’s O’Connell St into a residential neighbourhood?’
- Mark Hennessey reports from Lagan College in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s first integrated school, where he says frustrated sighs are audible as students are asked the ‘British or Irish’ question.
- The South Dublin criminal from a wealthy family who became a close associate of the Kinahan gang: Conor Gallagher reports on Ciaran O’Sullivan, an associate of the Kinahan gang at the top of the European organised crime scene.
- I am due to inherit €30,000, is it worth my while to gift my husband half to avoid tax? Dominic Coyle answers this reader’s question in his latest Your Money column.
- The Irish syndicate that beat the Lotto: Donald Clarke writes about a new film where Cork man Stefan Klincewicz explains his strategy in beating the Lotto back in 1992.
As the Lions began their tour in Australia with a big win over Western Force, you can keep up to date with all of the news from the camp with our weekly rugby newsletter by signing up to the Counter Ruck.
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