Councillor Helen Ogbu, Labour’s candidate in the Galway West by-election, has said the record levels of child homelessness must be treated as an emergency, following the latest figures showing more than 5,400 children now living in emergency accommodation throughout the country.
Cllr Ogbu said the scale of child homelessness is shocking, and it is being felt in communities in Galway and across the country.
“Behind every number is a child without a stable home, trying to grow up, go to school and live a normal life without the security every child deserves.
“Families in Galway are being pushed to breaking point. Rents are too high, eviction notices are increasing, and many simply cannot find anywhere affordable to live. This is forcing more families in Galway into emergency accommodation, and it is children who are paying the highest price. I’m hearing it on the ground, day in and day out.
She said that this crisis did not happen by accident.
“It is the direct result of political choices by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Their failure to deliver enough social and affordable homes and their refusal to properly protect renters has led us here.
“We know the official figures do not tell the full story. In Galway, there are families doubling up, staying with relatives, or living in unsafe situations because they have nowhere else to go.“We need urgent action now.
“That means increasing the delivery of social and affordable homes, strengthening renter protections, and introducing a temporary ban on no-fault evictions to stop more children being pushed into homelessness.“This is not inevitable. Children are being failed by political decisions, and different decisions can change this. We need urgency and leadership to ensure every child in Galway has a safe and secure home.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael must act immediately to protect children in Galway, increase housing supply, and stop more families from being pushed into homelessness,” she added.
