Focus Ireland

Um, I, I am upset, and I, I just, I don't know, uh, who to turn to or, or where to go.

I even asked Focus Ireland could they even move me, and they were telling me, "Run to the guards." The guards know already, you know? So what am I meant to do? 'Cause all I did, and I helped them out a lot, uh, as well, what I, what I was going through, shit in my life.

You get what I'm saying? And I think it's very, very unfair for people to point the finger and say that was my dad, that I look shady, and that I don't look upset.

How am I meant to feel? How am, how am I meant to...

Is there an appetite for that, though, Aubrey, I mean, from, from the government's perspective, for actually coming up with a long-term strategy rather than as, you gave that example of just that nonsensical approach of a family who maybe needs support with a payment plan and then it's ending up costing the government more money, putting them in a service that's, uh, probably way less comfortable and suitable for that family anyway as well?

well?You know, i- when nobody is shouting, even a whisper gets heard, and I realized that there's, uh, people like Phil Thompson from Tighe Linn, there's wonderful people, um, that are involved in the services, and, like the Simons and Mr. DePaul, Focus Ireland.

And it's like a barrel that's been shot several times.

It's full of water, and water is leaking out everywhere, and you're trying to stick your finger in the holes.

The latest figures from his department show 5,830 children accessed emergency accommodation in August.

Focus Ireland said it best when they pointed out there are now more children without a home in Ireland than stars visible to the naked eye in the night sky.

Minister Brown held up his hands and said this is an issue they continue to struggle with, but claims that they're putting processes in place which will help.

One child spending one day in emergency accommodation is one too many.

Bobby here with you all the way till 10:00 this morning.

So today is World Homelessness Day, and this morning, thousands of people around the country woke up having spent the night sleeping out as part of Focus Ireland's Shine a Light event.

Uh, it's the homeless charity's biggest annual fundraiser and advocacy event.

I've done it many times myself.

Uh, in Dublin's Ivy Gardens, some of the country's top business leaders joined, uh, forces to be there.

Our reporter, uh, Bibra Holmes, went along.

Um, [lips smack] Focus Ireland, Bibra, she joins me now, obviously, from-

Hello

There's a bucket collection there, um, from this morning, in fact, from about an hour ago until 3:00 PM, and they will be on the plaza from 8:00 PM tonight until 8:00 PM tomorrow morning.

And the fundraising there, needless to say, on behalf of Focus Ireland, uh, who support the homeless.

So I hope they have a, a decent night there in Cashel.

That's it for me.

Minister James Brown says allowing it to be used for second-hand homes is being considered but there are concerns it could push up prices.

Elsewhere, Focus Ireland says homelessness has been treated as an afterthought in the budget.

Almost 18,000 people are now in emergency accommodation including more than 5,800 children.

It's criticised the lack of detail on increasing HAP rates which it says haven't risen in 10 years despite average rents increasing by 75%.

Focus Ireland's Director of Advocacy, Mike Allen, says the budget was a letdown.

We're waiting for a child and family homeless action plan.

We hear that the Minister is committed to funding it, but we don't know what that funding is.

And there's events happening all over the country.

And then connected to that, I'm involved in the Focus Ireland Shine a Light campaign, which is all about looking at the night sky for those people that decide to do a sleep out.

They've come up with this beautiful way of thinking about when we look at the night sky, we see like two and a half thousand stars if we're lucky, if the skies are dark enough.

And there are more than double the amount of children that are in temporary accommodation right now.

yeah

So

you're an ambassador for Focus Ireland Leave.

So people can head to focusireland.ie to get involved.