Government's failure to reduce number of homeless shows need for general election - Clarke

Sinn Féin TD Sorca Clarke has said that the latest "spiral in Longford-Westmeath homelessness underlines the need for a general election now".

The call came as the latest Department of Housing homelessness report for February shows increases across all categories of homelessness.

“This week’s homelessness report shows that homelessness has reached a new record high of 13,841 people across the state, including 4,170 children. All categories including single people, families and pensioners have seen increases.

“Homelessness in the midlands, including Longford, Westmeath, Offaly and Laois, has 164 adults accessing local authority managed emergency accommodation in February alone, with a total of 62 people in Westmeath and 18 people in Longford accessing emergency accommodation.

“The Department of Housing has also released figures confirming that the government missed the new build social housing targets for 2023 and all of their affordable housing scheme targets.

“Homelessness is rising because the government's social and affordable housing targets are too low and are being missed every single year.

“This government is not capable of solving this crisis. The longer they are in government the worse the housing crisis is going to get.

“People in Longford- Westmeath deserve so much better than this.

“How high will Simon Harris allow homelessness numbers to rise before he accepts this fact?

“A Sinn Féin government with Eoin Ó Broin as minister for housing would deliver the volume of social and affordable homes needed to tackle this escalating crisis.”

“We urgently need a general election, a change of government and crucially a change of housing plan.”