Sharing this for anyone else who might find this interesting. More info below.
[Focus Ireland](https://www.focusireland.ie/) (then called Focus Point Ireland) called on the Government to end homelessness within 5 years. They provided their views on what needed to be done which they felt could realistically solve long-term homelessness if implemented. They said the old excuses of lack of money and budgetary restraint no longer hold. Then Director Sr Stanislaus Kennedy said:
“I think it’s very realistic. I think what we are calling for in our budget submission is that we would combat poverty, unemployment and homelessness. And we are aware that poverty and unemployment are big issues, that are controlled not only by the structures within this country, but structures outside the country. But then Homelessness is our problem and it is an management problem.
“The government has more money now, we are all talking about the fact that we have progressed economically. . .and all I am saying is now let’s start distributing more equitably and you’ll start with the people at the very bottom.
4 comments
Any idea what countries have achieved this?
They are not “that” type of government …
Sharing this for anyone else who might find this interesting. More info below.
[Focus Ireland](https://www.focusireland.ie/) (then called Focus Point Ireland) called on the Government to end homelessness within 5 years. They provided their views on what needed to be done which they felt could realistically solve long-term homelessness if implemented. They said the old excuses of lack of money and budgetary restraint no longer hold. Then Director Sr Stanislaus Kennedy said:
“I think it’s very realistic. I think what we are calling for in our budget submission is that we would combat poverty, unemployment and homelessness. And we are aware that poverty and unemployment are big issues, that are controlled not only by the structures within this country, but structures outside the country. But then Homelessness is our problem and it is an management problem.
“The government has more money now, we are all talking about the fact that we have progressed economically. . .and all I am saying is now let’s start distributing more equitably and you’ll start with the people at the very bottom.
For context, the unemployment was at 17.9% in 1989. The 1990 Budget aim was ” to promote more economic growth and jobs at home and a better standard of living for all our people”. I think it’s fair to say that we’ve had that since 1990.
Some 1990 budget debates are here if anyone fancies a read, some funding was given but it is not clear how it compared to the request. I’m not making any statement on the pros or cons of the actions taken/not taken on this structural issue – but I think it is very interesting to read the debates and issues within today’s context (e.g. buying council houses, housing estates, the current crisis etc).
[https://www.oireachtas.ie/ga/debates/debate/dail/1990-01-31/32/](https://www.oireachtas.ie/ga/debates/debate/dail/1990-01-31/32/)[https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1990-02-22/5/?highlight%5B1%5D=leaving&highlight%5B2%5D=bill](https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1990-02-22/5/?highlight%5B1%5D=leaving&highlight%5B2%5D=bill)
The Government now is probably worse than it was back then.