Dublin City Council has spent over €140 million on homeless services so far in 2022.
That figure amounts to almost the entire sum spent in 2021 when the figure was €148 million. Current estimates say that the council will spend €175 million by the end of the year on homeless services.
The shocking statistics were released to Sinn Fein councillor Daithi Doolan who is the party's housing spokesperson on the council. He said that it does not show the full reality as many families are among the "hidden homeless".
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He said: "Figures released to me at tonight's City Council meeting confirmed that over €140M was spent on homeless services in the first nine months of this year. This is a huge increase on last year's spend. In 2021 a total of €148M was spent. At the current rate a total of €175M will be spent on homeless services in Dublin in 2022. This is a shocking reflection on the failure of the current Government's housing policy.
"Behind spiralling cost of homeless services are thousands of people who have no home to call their own. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Many, many more families are hidden homeless. Sofa surfing or staying in overcrowded, Dickensian conditions.
"It appears that Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has grown to accept that a deepening housing crisis is now a permanent fixture in Dublin. This is wrong and it is unacceptable.
"Tonight's figures clearly show that Housing for All has been a total failure. There must be a radical change in the Government's housing policy. We need this Government to hugely speed up funding, cut red tape and delivery of social and affordable housing in housing."
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