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Focus Ireland reports crisis continuing as new figures show 40 families became homeless in August alone
President Michael D. Higgins visited Focus Ireland services in Dublin today (Monday, Sept 8th) to meet families who are currently homeless and some who were previously homeless but who have now secured a home with support from the charity. President Higgins was welcomed to the Focus Ireland housing development in Dublin city centre by the charity’s Acting CEO Mark Byrne and Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, Life President of Focus Ireland.
During his visit to Focus Ireland President Higgins met and spoke with some of the families who are currently homeless and staying in emergency accommodation in Dublin and he heard about the great difficulties of their situation.
The President also met with staff from Focus Ireland’s National Family Case Team which is the designated action team that supports families who are homeless in Dublin. Staff told how they have seen the number of families becoming homeless each month more than double over the last year from a total of 16 families to losing their home every month at the end of 2013 to a total of 40 families losing their home last month in Dublin alone. Shockingly this means that over 300 families have become homeless so far this year in Dublin alone from Jan up the end of August. Focus Ireland staff told President Higgins that this means at least 10 children are losing their family home every week this year in Dublin.
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