This is awful.

There are currently more than 10,000 homeless people in Ireland with approximately 4,000 of those being children. Recent figures taken during the summer have shown that at least another 100 children have been added to the homeless list and the housing crisis shows no signs of getting better. Government figures recently showed that an additional 103 children were added to the homeless list in July. Many families across the country are currently living in emergency accommodation and hotels due to a shortage of social housing and the rising cost of renting privately. Labour TD Jan O’Sullivan recently spoke out about these shocking figures by saying;

"These latest figures make for grim reading and show that not only has the homelessness crisis not gone away, it is getting worse, and Government policy is failing to resolve it. The simple fact remains that the Government is still not building enough homes, which in turn continues to heap pressure on the already inflated rental sector."

With funding being directed towards co-living units rather than private apartments families and homeless charities fear that the situation will get worse before it gets better. Speaking on the publication the recommendations Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, Tanya Ward, stressed the importance of taking steps now to help families currently trapped in consistent poverty:

"There are over 100,000 children in Ireland living in consistent poverty and that simply isn’t right. To put it in context, children are going to bed or school hungry. It is one third of parents going into debt just to be able to send their child back to school. We can do better. We need political leadership and real transformation in Ireland to free children from poverty once and for all."  

With many children starting back to school this week its a harrowing reality that many will not be returning back to their homes but to hotel and hostel rooms as the housing crisis continues to be worked on.