Homeless charity still paying children’s bus fares despite assured funding

The homelessness charity Focus Ireland has spent almost €20,000 on bus fares for homeless children this year, despite a Government commitment that public transport would be provided for families in emergency accommodation.

Almost a month into the new school year, the charity is still buying Leap cards, paying bus fares and helping with the cost of petrol for families. The money is being drawn from a fund, donated by Bord Gáis Energy, that the charity had planned to spend on therapeutic interventions with homeless children, such as counselling and play outings. So far this year, it has diverted €18,000 to helping families get children to and from school and to exams.

In July, the Government's Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, said: "Access to free public transport will be provided for school journeys and outings away from the emergency accommodation. Transport costs have been identified as a significant barrier to normal family life and a burden on parents and children alike." Minister for Children Katherine Zappone had sought the inclusions of the measure.

Having met groups working with families in emergency accommodation, transport emerged as a significant burden. Frequently families are accommodated in hotels and B&Bs some distance from their children’s schools, meaning they may have to get more up to four buses a day. It had been expected free transport would be in place by the end of August.

When asked what the delay was, neither the Department of Housing nor the Department of Children would comment.

A Department of Housing spokesman said last night: “Details are being finalised in relation to this. They will be introduced as soon as possible.”

He was unable to give a date, however.

The commitment comes as the number of homeless children across the State reached 2,363, in 1,151 families, last month. The data, just published by the Department of Housing, show the highest numbers were in Dublin where, during the week of August 22nd-28th, there were 2,012 children in 998 families in emergency accommodation.