Housing Forum urgently needed

By DANNY McCLOSKEY

THE SIGHT of someone bedding down for the night in a doorway or on the steps of a church is one of the most potent symbols of social exclusion that exist in Ireland today.

Homeless people are part of the landscape of Dublin and other cities throughout Ireland. In the capital of the Celtic Tiger, an increasing number of people are living on the streets, young and old alike, their worldly possessions packed into one or two plastic bags.

Today's perception of homelessness is of a person sleeping rough. Although this is essentially true, homelessness cannot be restricted to a narrow definition of those who camp out at night. It also includes those who seek refuge in temporary accommodation such as shelters, B&Bs, hostels, squats or stay with friends. For some in transitory dwellings, basic living necessities are available. Others are not so fortunate. The common denominator for all concerned is the lack of security and stability - temporary resting places are not homes.

MILLION-POUND B&Bs


According to the homeless action campaign, Focus Ireland, there are no accurate figures for the total number of homeless people in Ireland. Their figures show that 5,850 individuals contacted them in 1996, an increase of 60 per cent on the figure for 1995.

Local authorities only assess the number of homeless people every two years. The last assessment was in 1996. Local authority figures have been criticised by the voluntary sector for underestimating the extent of homelessness. Voluntary bodies have cast doubts on claims by 44 local authorities in the last two assessments that there were no homeless people in their areas.

Focus Ireland statistics reveal that most of the people who contacted this organisation were young, with 14 per cent aged under 18 and 50 per cent under 26. In 1996, there was an increased number of homeless families - 1,567 families were placed in B&B accommodation in the Eastern Health Board area at a cost of more than one million pounds - £1,216,000. It was only at the beginning of 1990 that local authorities started to send families into this type of accommodation.

A REASON FOR NO HOME


The reasons people become homeless are different from the reasons why they stay homeless. Homelessness is more likely to occur where poverty and unemployment prevail. Reasons for people becoming homeless include the breakdown of a relationship, family violence, alcohol or drug abuse. Mental health problems can also be a contributory factor, as can financial difficulties leading to eviction, or lack of knowledge about settlements and rights.

The experience of having no home means that one lives a life without privacy or grounding, leading to a permanent feeling of unsettlement. It means that the basic material needs that we take for granted are not available. It means that you cannot cook, wash, relax when you want.

It can lead to feelings of isolation, as having no fixed base means having no neighbours, no local amenities and existence on the outside of a community.

Women face one additional specific problem: violence from men. The majority of women residing in hostels cite the main reason that they left their homes was to escape violence or sexual abuse. Fewer hostel places exist for women. Dublin City Sinn Féin Councillor Christy Burke told An Phoblacht that four to five mothers contact him daily. All of these women are registered with their local authority, but they have been told that the average waiting period for homeless women and children to be housed is ten months.

Councillor Burke has called for the setting up of a Housing Forum with teeth to swiftly tackle the problem. This forum, he says, could provide short-term accommodation that would be some sort of base for homeless people. He says that Sinn Féin will continue to work for what the state defines as an invisible people.

``It is only when people have a home can their dignity and integrity be restored.''

Catch 22: living in a vicious circle


ROBERT is one those statistics. His life has been one of neglect and constant misery. Born into a family where abuse and alcoholism were the norm, Robert's life consisted of jumping from foster home to another. When he left the foster home, he drifted to different hostels. After various attempts to get work and a place to stay, he eventually found himself on the streets. He has been living rough for the last five years.

His life is a vicious circle that revolves around begging, finding a bed for himself and his partner, trying to avoid the gardaí, who frequently arrest him for vagrancy, and trying to break through the red tape in order to get a welfare cheque. It is the old Catch 22 problem - you cannot get welfare without an address and you cannot get an address without a source of income.

Ill-health has plagued this young man of 22 and his isolation from mainstream life has led to his seeking sanctuary in alcohol. He has received a few beatings from gangs who terrorise homeless people. Robert believes that if he could get a permanent place, he could rebuild his life with some dignity.

In the era of the Celtic Tiger, he and others like him are evidence that the gaps in the safety net are still all too cruelly wide. .