New homelessness figures are shocking, says Simon Coveney

Minister for Housing Simon Coveney has described as "shocking" new figures which suggest the number of homeless people in Ireland has reached a new record.

The Dublin Simon Community counted 168 people sleeping on the streets on Monday night. A further 60 were sleeping on the floor of the Merchants Quay night cafe.

Mr Coveney likened solving the homelessness crisis to “trying to empty a bath of water while the taps are running full on”.

Simon Community chief executive Sam McGuinness said the total number of homeless in Dublin last night was 228.

“That’s an extraordinary number. That’s not an extraordinary coincidence. These people genuinely don’t have a place to stay and all of the beds in rented accommodation - which have been increased - are all in use,” he said.

Recently, the Simon Community found some rough sleepers who did not have sleeping bags as well as growing numbers sleeping in Merrion Square and St Stephen’s Green.

In response, Mr Coveney identified a fundamental lack of supply as the key reason why there is a housing crisis at present.

Mr Coveney admitted he was not surprised by the figures having visited the streets last week where people are homeless.

“It is my job to get those numbers down. We have a lot to do,” he said.

Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships, Mr Coveney said emergency accommodation will be increased in advance of the winter.

In addition, 200 new rapid-build homes will be available before the end of the year.

“We need to press ahead aggressively with some rapid built projects by the end of the year.”

Mr Coveney said they were on target for the year in terms of homeless provision, “but we are simply seeing more and more people declaring themselves homeless”.

"The State needs a more comprehensive response and that's what Rebuilding Ireland (An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness) is all about.

“I have always said that this is not going to be solved overnight. It is going to take some time. We are going to try and do it as quickly as we can. It is the number one priority for this Government.

“There is far more urgency in Government than there ever was before, but it is going to take some time.”

Mr Coveney said the Government is committed to “rapidly ramping up social housing provision”.

Some 400 social housing units are being built in Cork city over the coming months, he said.

When asked if he felt ashamed as a minister because of the homelessness crisis, he said: “I don’t accept that in a modern society with the resources that are available, we should have as many people as we currently have living on the streets.”