Immigration is “a factor” contributing to the number of homeless people in emergency accommodation, according to Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien.
Simon Harris faced Opposition criticism after comments where he suggested immigration levels are having a “real impact” on homeless numbers.
Mr O’Brien backed the Taoiseach’s position on Monday.
During an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Harris said: “People understand the fact that homelessness numbers are heavily impacted by the fact we are seeing many people seek protection in our country, seek asylum in our country, and many people come from abroad hoping to have a new future in Ireland, and immigration, it has many, many pluses, but it has had a challenge there.”
At a press conference in Dublin on Monday Mr O’Brien said homelessness is “complex” and that his department publishes figures every month on exits from homelessness and entries into emergency accommodation and the reasons why.
He said: “It can be relationship break-up, it can be in relation to notices to quit in the private sector, but we have seen in the last number of months – and I think that’s just what the Taoiseach was speaking to as well – in the area of new arrivals as well is, particularly with singles, is a factor.”
Mr O’Brien said the State has a “moral duty” to support people with emergency accommodation.
Asked about the proportion of foreign nationals in emergency homeless accommodation Mr O’Brien said around 42 per cent to 44 per cent of people in such accommodation in Dublin are foreign nationals including those from the European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA countries.
Mr O’Brien added: “We have seen an increase in the last three months particularly in singles, those with status in direct provision, who have left direct provision, and that’s the single biggest reason for those entering into State emergency accommodation that we’re providing.”
He said accommodation will be provided to them, that Ireland is a caring country. “and we make no distinction between one cohort of people and another”.
Asked for an update on proposals surrounding a habitual residence condition for emergency homeless accommodation that Mr O’Brien was reported earlier this year to be examining, he said the relevant legislation from 1988 is being reviewed.
Speaking on Monday, Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman said it was important to be “very clear” that asylum seekers have “no right” to claim housing supports, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or to access homelessness accommodation.
Asked about the Taoiseach’s comments, Mr O’Gorman said “we need to be clear” on the facts about asylum seekers and their impact on housing.
He said
the “whole reason my department has led the response to people fleeing Ukraine and people seeking international protection” was to ensure those cohorts had no impact on the work of the Department of Housing, which provides housing supports and oversees delivery of social and affordable housing.
“That is why my department over the past year at its height was providing accommodation to over 100,000 people.
“Ultimately the solution to homelessness is the building of more housing. There were no houses built virtually between 2009 and 2019. This Government has taken a really important step forward in terms of increasing those construction rates. We will hopefully see 40,000 homes built this year, bringing it up to 50,000 next year. That is how we are going to address the housing needs of everybody.”
Mr O’Gorman said he agreed with the Taoiseach’s statement that we shouldn’t blame vulnerable people for the lack of housing.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy argued the Taoiseach’s comments were “cynical, untrue and dangerous”.
Mr Harris later stood over his comments, saying: “I did absolutely make the point that there is no doubt that there is a link between the migration challenge we face and the homeless challenge – although not the entirety of the homelessness crisis, of course not.
“But if you look at the figures, for example, for the month of July in Dublin, the single biggest reason people gave for presenting at the Dublin homeless services was exiting direct provision.”
During a visit to New York for an address to the United Nations, President Michael D Higgins was asked if he believes the homeless crisis has been caused by immigration, and he replied: “No, I do not.”
He was also asked how he would characterise the Government’s handling of the housing crisis, but Mr Higgins said he would not comment on any particular Government.
However, when it was put to him that it was an abject failure to have thousands of homeless families, he said: “There’s no doubt whatsoever that as one looks at it … I have to answer the question properly now, it has failed in many dimensions. The planning is a disaster.”
He also said some State housing interventions were designed to “seduce the market”.
Addressing Mr Higgins’s remarks on planning, Mr O’Brien said: “We’ve nearly concluded the most significant reform of our planning system” with a new law that, when enacted, will “provide certainty, clarity and consistency across our planning system”.
Asked if the State has been too reliant on the private sector to deliver homes he replied: “No, I don’t think so actually. I think the Housing for All plan is the single biggest intervention any Government has made in the history of the State.”
He added: “We’ll invest over €5 billion in housing this year and we need all sectors of the development community pushing in the same direction.”
Mr O’Brien was speaking in Deansgrange, South Dublin, as Co-operative Housing Ireland (CHI) unveiled 120 new homes.
