The charity Focus Ireland in its 25th year calls for empty buildings to be used to house the homeless.
Focus Ireland criticised the government for failing in a promise to provide long term housing for homeless people by the end of the year. The Department of the Environment, which is responsible for housing, acknowledged that there were difficulties but said it was working to reach its targets.
Focus Ireland first opened its doors in Temple Bar, Dublin in 1985 with the objective of responding to the lack of services for homeless people in the city. Since then, it has developed into a nationwide organisation.
Since 1991 the charity says the number of homeless people and those on housing waiting lists has almost doubled. Focus Ireland founder, Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, says unless immediate action is taken, the situation will reach a crisis point.
The government made a commitment that they would end long term homelessness by the end of 2010.
Focus Ireland has once again called for empty buildings to be used to house the homeless. Joyce Loughnan, CEO of Focus Ireland says there is political will to put money into the banks and for that there should be a payoff that invests in social infrastructure.
We're just asking for five thousand homes for people that are homeless.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 12 September 2010. The reporter is Ailbhe Conneely.
