Roderic O’Gorman has said “we need to stick to the facts” about migration and homelessness as the Taoiseach was criticised for comments on the State’s record-high homeless figures, reports Breaking News.
Taoiseach Simon Harris told The Sunday Times that homelessness numbers “are heavily impacted by the fact we are seeing many people seek protection in our country”.
Mr Harris has been urged to clarify that asylum seekers are not counted in the monthly homeless numbers released by the Department of Housing.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy called the Taoiseach’s comments “cynical, untrue and dangerous” and accused him of engaging in a “dog whistle attack” on asylum seekers, reports Breaking News.
The monthly homeless figures have repeatedly hit record highs, with the figures for July showing that 14,429 people, including 4,401 children, are in emergency accommodation.
These figures do not include people in Direct Provision, people sleeping rough or people who are couch surfing.
Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman said that people who have applied for asylum in Ireland are not entitled to housing support or the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), and cannot access homeless accommodation.
This week will see the first disbursements of the government’s gasoline stipend, reports Breaking News.
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Throughout the course of 28 weeks, more than 400,000 households in the State will receive the means-tested payment.
The purpose of the allowance, which was first implemented in the late 1980s, was to assist long-term beneficiaries of social security and retirees with the expense of heating their houses during the winter.
The program was expanded in the previous year’s budget, partly because of the continued issue in the cost of living.
Weekly payments of €33 are made to recipients, or two installments of €462 each, if that is chosen, reports Breaking News.
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys confirmed this year’s fuel allowance intentions in a statement, stating that the payment will be made.
Mr O’Gorman said: “I think we just need to be clear on where migration and homelessness interact. Somebody seeking international protection has no right to claim housing supports in Ireland, has no right to HAP, has no right to access homelessness accommodation,” reports Breaking News.
“Someone fleeing the war in Ukraine in Ireland has no right to seek housing support, to seek HAP or to seek homelessness accommodation. The whole reason that my department has led our response to the people fleeing Ukraine and people fleeing seeking international protection is to ensure that our response to those vulnerable people is undertaken in a way that does not in any way impact the Department of Housing’s ability to implement Housing for All and its ability to deal with immediate homelessness situations. And that’s why my department opened the course the last year, at its height, was providing accommodation to over 100,000 people,” reports Breaking News.
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