Council vows to work on homeless crisis

FINGAL County Council has vowed to continue to focus on the homeless crisis in 2019 and provide support and assistance for those who don’t have a roof over their head.

Director of Housing, Margaret Geraghty, said there had been a “relentless focus” last year to try to support those entering homelessness and prevent people from going into homeless circumstances in the first place.

“The reality is that until there is sufficient housing supply in the system, there is going to be an ongoing challenge in relation to people who find themselves in a situation where they vulnerable to becoming homeless,” she continued.

“It’s vital that Fingal County Council continues to provide housing support but equally important that there is a focus on preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place.

As well as focussing on homelessness, the council says it is also working to provide a secure tenancy situation for those in the private rented sector.

“A lot of people have struggled because the private rented housing option didn’t sustain them,” Geraghty said.

“It is very important to us to work to prevent people from becoming homeless and to equally work with the private rented sector to bring in a more long-term supply of high quality, sustainable housing.

“This will give people the confidence that if they are in the private rented sector that there is in a secure tenancy situation.”

Geraghty praised council staff in the housing offices in Swords, Blanchardstown and Balbriggan who work to help those in need of support.