OPINION:SINCE THE beginning of this recession we have heard our political leaders say again and again that "poor and vulnerable people" must be protected. We have also heard them say that that the next three months are the most important since the foundation of the State. We have yet to see if the commitment to protect the most vulnerable – those who are homeless – will survive the soulless recommendations of the McCarthy report, the establishment of Nama and indeed the next budget, writes PATRICK BURKE
This week the Simon Communities across Ireland are embarking on seven days of campaigning and awareness-raising on the issue of homelessness in Ireland as part of Simon Week 2009. Simon Week, supported by the Educational Building Society, is an opportunity to remind the people of Ireland that we all have a role to play in ending homelessness for once and for all. There are eight Simon Communities in Ireland based in Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, the midlands, the midwest, the northwest and the southeast. They provide the best possible care, accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness and those at risk. Together with people who are homeless, we tackle the root causes and promote innovative responses to homelessness, and urge the Government to fulfil its commitments.
This week we want people from all sectors of society to play a role in ending homelessness. However, the group of people with the greatest level of responsibility in this respect is undoubtedly our politicians, and more specifically our current Government.
Simon is under no illusions: we fully realise the immense pressures of the economic crisis. We do, however, firmly believe that the Government has an irrefutable duty to the most vulnerable people in our society, as it has frequently acknowledged.
Despite our recent economic prosperity, homelessness never went away. During the years when the boom was at its peak the Simon Communities across Ireland were still working with thousands of people every year. Now as we find ourselves deep in recession they are likely to suffer the worst effects.
Our services are operating at capacity and are braced for an increase in demand in the coming months as they meet more people who are at risk of homelessness and more who have actually become homeless.
In addition, in the current climate we are under increasing pressure in terms of funding, with reductions in statutory funding and uncertainty in terms of voluntary donations.
It is critical that we do not turn the clock back on the progress achieved.
In 2008, this Government made two firm commitments on homelessness in Ireland: to end the need to sleep rough and to end long-term homelessness by 2010. The strategy to achieve this includes a range of other commitments, such as prevention, meeting the long-term housing needs of people progressing out of homelessness, ensuring effective service provision and improving funding arrangements.
We welcomed this strategy but warned that it would be rendered meaningless unless it was accompanied by a detailed implementation plan with commitments on funding and targets. But details on the funding of the strategy remain vague.
Homelessness is about more than housing; it is also about physical and mental health, it is about drug and alcohol use, and it is often about complex needs. To give Minister for Housing Michael Finneran his due, there has been real progress under his stewardship, particularly with the development of the Supported Living initiative, which acknowledges that people need support to move out of homelessness and on to independent living.
However, this scheme focuses only on those with low to medium support needs, even though many long-term homeless have high levels of need – mental health, physical health, problem drug and alcohol use, fractured family relationships, education and training needs. The 2010 commitments cannot be achieved until long-term and complex needs are specifically targeted.
We are now less than three months from the beginning of 2010 – 15 months away from the possible realisation of these commitments. But without renewed commitment and vigour these commitments could be in jeopardy.
We must address some of the greatest failings of our society, focusing on those who have been left on the margins – hopeless, sick and alone.
Patrick Burke is the chief executive officer of the Simon Communities of Ireland. Simon Week 2009 runs until Sunday 11th October. www.simon.ie