Dublin Simon Community Statement on Release of Housing Commission Reports 

Dublin Simon Community welcomes the publication of reports prepared by the Housing Commission, released this week by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien.

The report is based on the deliberations of a committee set up by the Minister in 2021, and it contains 83 recommendations alongside a range of suggested actions.

Speaking about the report, Dublin Simon CEO, Catherine Kenny, said: “The report highlights the shocking deficit in housing in Ireland that is feeding the continuous growth of homelessness.  I commend the Commission and its chair on the enormous work undertaken in the last three years. The level of detail and deliberation by the Commission is evidenced. The report has suggested that more than a quarter of a million homes are needed over a period of time to address this deficit and there is a huge amount of work and innovation needed to reach a resolution to this crisis.

She added: “This report contains a vision of how this can be addressed and provides a blueprint created by a Commission of independent experts.  But effective political will is required to achieve this, and we need a commitment from current and future members of the Oireachtas that these recommendations will be prioritised.  Commitment to delivering the recommendations in this report will offer an opportunity to consign the housing and homelessness crisis to the history books, enabling Ireland to become a fair and secure place for all.

“I believe the contents of this report will be welcomed by those below the poverty line, and in low- and middle-income families and households. Working at the frontline of the homelessness crisis we see first-hand the traumatic impact that homelessness and housing insecurity has on people of all ages. Dublin Simon Community’s teams are involved in a range of programmes and services aimed at supporting people in rebuilding their lives, improving health outcomes and focusing on enabling people to live independently again after a period in homelessness.”

Full details of the report of the Housing Commission can be found here.