30/10/2018

CSO Must Take Over Publication Of Homelessness Data - SF

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) must take over the publication of homelessness figures as the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy can "no longer be trusted", Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has said.

Deputy Ó Broin was speaking as a news report at the weekend indicated that the 1,600+ people removed from homelessness figures by the Minister for Housing are still accessing homeless services.

The Dublin Mid-West TD said: "The data collected from individual local authorities by Irish Times journalist Kitty Holland shows that Homeless people were removed from the monthly statistics in every region except the midlands (Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath).

"They were removed despite the local authorities countering the claims made by Minister Murphy that the 1,600 people removed from the figures had been miscategorised and were staying in 'own-door' temporary accommodation which is not 'traditional' emergency accommodation.

"According to Galway City Council, which collates homeless figures for Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon, 117 people, including 66 children, were removed from statistics. This is despite the Council stating that the clients are still categorised as homeless.

"In Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow, 111 individuals, including 60 children, were removed despite still being recorded on the PASS system as accessing homeless services. Similarly, in Cork and Kerry, 96 people, 35 of them children, were removed from the figures.

"In Clare and Limerick, 119 people were removed. In Louth, Monaghan, and Cavan, 211 were

removed. In Donegal, Sligo, and Leitrm, 13 were removed and in Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford, 53 homeless people were removed.

"While in Dublin, 886 individuals, including 594 children, are no longer counted in the official monthly homelessness figures.

"Minister Murphy is clearly attempting to redefine the definition of homelessness. Families in 'own door accommodation' with no tenancy arrangement and still recorded on the PASS system are in fact homeless.

"The Minister has undermined the credibility of the monthly homeless figures irreparably in recent months.

"The CSO must now assume responsibility for the collection and publication of the monthly figures.

"This report must also include rough sleepers, women and children in Tusla-funded domestic violence emergency accommodation, and those adults and children with leave to remain but using direct provision centres as emergency accommodation."


Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

28 September 2018
Latest Monthly Homeless Figures 'Meaningless'
The latest monthly homeless figures have been described as "meaningless" by Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin. Deputy Ó Broin made the comment after the Minister for Housing Simon Coveney told the Housing Committee this afternoon that an additional 741 people have been removed from the official figures over the past few months.
03 May 2018
Housing Minister Accused Of 'Knowingly Manipulating Homeless Figures'
The Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has been accused of "knowingly manipulating the March homeless figures". Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has called on the Minister to "admit that he and his Department officials instructed Councils to remove families in emergency accommodation arrangements from the March homeless figures".
15 July 2016
Govt Accused Of Letting Homeless Children 'Fall Through The Cracks'
Homeless children are "falling through the cracks of the child welfare system", Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Anne Rabbitte, has said. Expressing "deep concern", Deputy Rabbitte accused the government and Tusla of failing to address "the crisis of child homelessness which is gripping the country".
31 March 2016
Parties Refusing To Talk To Each Other 'Farcical' - SF
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil's refusal to talk to each other has been described as a "farce" and is "impeding TDs from doing their jobs", Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane has said.
06 November 2013
Brian O'Driscoll And Fr. Peter McVerry Granted Dublin Freedom
Brian O’Driscoll and Fr. Peter McVerry are to be awarded Freedom of the City of Dublin by Dublin City Council. The Lord Mayor’s nomination of the two men was approved and subsequently ratified at a Dublin City Council meeting on 4 November. Brian O’Driscoll is considered one of Ireland’s most successful rugby union players.