Call For More Homeless Hubs In Clare To Address Crisis

The Chair of Clare’s Housing Committee insists more family hubs need to be rolled out in Clare to get on top of the homelessness crisis.

It comes as new figures released by the Department of Housing show a welcome 25% drop in the number of homeless children in the Midwest in a year.

But Midwest Simon fears it could rise again.

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Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has released the homeless figures for June, which point to a marginal drop in the number of people accessing emergency accommodation across the country in the past year.

That trend has been mirrored in the Midwest, with 138 children in emergency accommodation across Clare and Limerick at the end of June, a drop of 25%.

While there was a 10% fall in homeless adults in Clare alone, where 70 adults were without a permanent roof over their head.

But CEO of Midwest Simon, Jackie Bonfield doesn’t think it’s much of an improvement and says it could worsen again.

A homeless hub with the capacity for five families opened at Cusack Lodge in Ennis at the end of June, which is the same period covered by the latest data.

This means the impact of that being up and running has yet to be seen.

But Chair of Clare’s Housing Committee, Independent Shannon Councillor Gerry Flynn says it has to be making a difference.

He wants to see more of these hubs opened though, to help families transition from emergency accommodation while they await social housing.