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Big Homeless Problem in the Wee County -Joanna Byrne TD
Thursday 19th June 2025, 13:42 pm
The Government's failed housing policies have caused a big homelessness problem in the wee county, according to local Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne.
Speaking in The Dáil, Deputy Byrne said “Louth, which is the 12th most populous of the 26 counties in the State, has the sixth highest level of homelessness, according to the latest figures available on the Department's website.
“In the homeless figures that are measured by region, the Northeast region includes Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. Louth alone accounts for 91% of the homeless adults in the Northeast.
“The figures do not break down homeless families with children by county, but you can be sure that Louth alone has the highest percentage of homeless families, with 92 children needing emergency accommodation in the Northeast.
“I spoke previously to the Minister about the 35% increase in those needing emergency accommodation in just a year in my home county of Louth. It gives me no pleasure to state these facts.
“Solutions are being put forward to the Minister if he would just hear them and accept them.
“According to the 2022 census, there are 163,000 vacant dwellings in Ireland. The housing list would be cleared, and homelessness could be ended if the Government accepted our proposals and introduced stronger taxes on vacancy and dereliction and greater use of compulsory purchase orders to bring empty homes back into use.
“Rents would stabilise due to greater housing supply being available and our towns and cities suffering from dereliction would benefit.
“It is simple and effective, and it would take great pressure off local authorities, such as Louth County Council, which have to chase rogue developers who sit on properties and allow them to go derelict until they see the opportunity for generating the perfect profit, regardless of housing needs, homelessness and the urban eyesores they have created.
Dereliction is a blight in many towns and cities across the state but has been especially prevalent in the centre of Drogheda and the subject of much public comment. If we could deal with the dereliction, we could also provide much needed homes at the same time.
We would be able to house those families, with dependent children that are in emergency accommodation.
A wee change in government housing policy could do so much good, for Drogheda and all of Louth, the wee county I represent, if only they would accept our proposals.
