Right to Housing

Posted on 29. Mar, 2018, in Church Teachings, Community, HomelessnessComments Off on Right to Housing

play pause stop

mute unmute

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Figures released this week showed that there are now almost 10,000 people homeless across Ireland, including 3,755 children, according to the monthly homelessness report from the department.

This represents a 32 per increase in overall homelessness, a 40 per cent increase in family homelessness, and a 47 per cent increase in the number of homeless children since the same time last year.

Sinead Kerin is acting managing solicitor of Mercy Law Resource centre, an independent law centre, which provides free legal advice and representation to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The Centre also advocates for change in laws, policies and attitudes. She was at the launch of their report: The Right to Housing in Comparative Perspective. The report looks at the figures and in particular the significant increase in numbers including the large proportion of children. They also look at how policy regarding a constitutional right to housing would make a big difference.