195 children in Cork and Kerry accessed emergency accommodation in August

ALMOST 540 adults accessed emergency accommodation in Cork at the end of August, an increase on the number reported the previous month.

According to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Monthly Homeless Report, 538 adults accessed emergency accommodation in Cork during the week of August 21 to 27, up from the figure of 519 reported during the July reporting period.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould raised concerns about the latest figures.

“While the Government claims to have turned a corner on housing, more and more adults and children are stuck sleeping in emergency accommodation,” he said.

The latest report shows that 100 families accessed emergency accommodation in Cork and Kerry (South West region) in the same reporting period including 195 child dependents.

Mr Gould said that the impact of staying in emergency accommodation on children cannot be underestimated.

“195 children in Cork and Kerry left for their first day back to school from a hotel room.

“Some of these children had been staying in this accommodation for long periods of time. They will have spent an entire summer crowded with their families. We cannot underestimate the impact this is having on child development and wellbeing,” Mr Gould added.