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02nd Jul 2017

Number of homeless Irish children escalates to near 3,000

This is the highest number on record in Ireland.

Orlaith Condon

Children’s charity Barnardos is pleading with Government to take action as the number of homeless children reaches a record high.

Figures say 2,777 children are currently homeless – the highest number ever recorded in Ireland.

Barnados is now asking Government to become more aggressive in their approach to the worsening situation.

At the beginning of this year, the Government promised to stop families turning to hotels and B&Bs as a long-term solution.

A promise that Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy now says they cannot keep.

“The Government promised to provide homeless families suffer in inappropriate and unsuitable accommodation,” Barnardos’ head of advocacy, June Tinsley, told Newstalk.

“The Government needs to ensure suitable alternative accommodation for these families immediately.”