Call on the state to provide quality temporary accomodation and to build new homes to resolve homelessness.
Focus Ireland has called on the government to spend £200 million over the next five years to solve the problem of homelessness.
Launching 'Focus on Home' week, Focus founder Sr Stanislaus Kennedy said the country urgently needs more emergency accommodation and permanent social housing to cope with the needs of up to 150,000 people who do not have a proper place to live.
At the initiative's launch, one balloon was released for every thousand people who don't have a home. Each balloon had a postcard attached to it addressed to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and calling for urgent action on homelessness.
In Dublin alone, three thousand people are sleeping on the streets or depending on emergency accommodation.
Sr Stan said there is a need for more emergency accommodation and a plan to build 35,000 houses over the next five years.
'Focus on Home' is a reminder that while Ireland is experiencing economic success, it still has many structural problems. Focus Ireland says the biggest problem is the severe lack of social housing.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 21 November 1999. The reporter is Eilis Brennan.
