Kildare councillor: ‘Homelessness has reached new highs’

A Kildare councillor aligned with the Social Democrats has said that homelessness 'has reached new highs', following the release of a new government report examining homelessness.

Cllr Chris Pender said the latest data highlights the necessity for the Government to take immediate action to address the housing crisis.

According to the report, there are 462 adults and 193 children accessing emergency accommodation in the Kildare region.

The Newbridge-based politician said: "According to new data revealed today, homelessness has reached new highs. There are currently 11,542 individuals living in homeless emergency shelters, including 3,494 children. 

"193 adults are accessing emergency accommodation in Kildare alone, and 163 children in the region, of which Kildare is the lead authority."

He continued: "Despite all the claims of action from the Government, the number of people living in emergency homeless accommodation has climbed by 27 per cent in the last year.

"It is crucial to realise that these figures do not include families stuffed into box bedrooms, people sleeping on floors and couches or living in tents and on our streets.

Cllr Chris Pender, Social Democrats. File Pic.

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"With child homelessness increasing by 37 per cent in the past year alone, it is impossible to explain how hundreds of millions of euros ringfenced for building new local authority houses in 2022 were allocated elsewhere.

"While the government pledged 9,000 new social homes last year, recent numbers indicate that just 2,706 were constructed by the end of September."

Cllr Pender further said that homelessness has a 'profound and long-lasting impact' on people who live through it.

He explained: "It can have a detrimental effect on children's development.

"The Government can no longer stand by and let it increase month after month."

Cllr Pender added: "The Minister needs to move immediately to enhance the supply of social, cost rental and affordable purchase homes, and tackle delivery constraints involving land and financing.

"Additionally, the outrageous waste of vacant homes must be attacked front on by instituting a punitive tax to severely prohibit leaving dwellings empty."