President Catherine Connolly has criticised the latest homelessness figures and the treatment of veterans of the Defence Forces.
Connolly said the record figures, combined with homelessness struggles experienced by Defence Forces veterans, was a “sad reflection of the scale of the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis that prevails in our country”.
The President spoke at an event in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, Dublin, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Defence Forces’ veterans’ organisation Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE), which was founded in 1951.
Connolly, who is the titular head of the Defence Forces, noted that ONE was founded at a time of another housing crisis in the history of the State. It followed the mass-demobilisation of those who served during the second World War.
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She cited the figures for homelessness in January, when 17,112 people, including 5,319 children, resided in emergency accommodation. According to the figures for February, published on Friday, that figure has gone up to 17,308, including 5,457 children.
She commended ONE for its efforts to build a fifth residential home, this one in Cork, for veterans at risk of homelessness.
Connolly told assembled veterans there was a “complete lack of awareness of the issues facing veterans, along with the lack of meaningful resources to tackle these issues”. This included mental health issues.
“We cannot continue to avert our gaze to this hardship,” she added. “Both of these issues – homelessness and mental healthcare – require urgent attention.
“The obligation doesn’t rest on your organisation alone, however. We must constantly raise awareness across our society to ensure that your motto – no veteran left behind – becomes the lived reality for those who served in our Defence Forces."
Approximately 1,100 veterans of the Defence Forces have accessed ONE’s homelessness services since it began providing accommodation in 1994.
ONE is marking its 75th anniversary with the addition of 17 new single bedrooms to complement the 51 already in place. The expansions in Cork, Limerick and Newbridge will involve an investment of €3.5 million, the largest in the charity’s history. There are plans to further expand to 80 single bedrooms by 2028.
Cormac Kirwan, chief executive of ONE, said “homelessness and mental-health challenges have now become part of our common language but in doing so, they may have unfortunately lost some of their true meaning.
“The blunt reality is that it’s about being without shelter or compassion or care or hope.
“The new facilities will directly enable ONE to provide homeless veterans with a safe, secure and supportive space, warm meals, camaraderie, care and hope, for as long as it is needed.”
