Dr Niall Muldoon will deliver the stark message as Dublin City Council predicts the amount spent on emergency accommodation for homeless families and individuals in the capital will increase by 鈧35m this year.
Spending has more than trebled in the last decade and reached 鈧320m last year. It is expected to reach 鈧355m in 2025, according to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) that operates on behalf of all the capital鈥檚 local authorities.
DRHE director Mary Hayes will tell the Oireachtas Housing Committee this afternoon that the local authorities are examining alternatives to privately contracting emergency accommodation 鈥渢hrough acquisition/purchase, use of our lands, and adapting existing buildings for use鈥.
Notices of termination are the biggest driver of homelessness in the capital
Her opening submission says emergency accommodation 鈥渋s very costly in both human and economic terms鈥 and that there is a 鈥渟trong will to move away鈥 from contracting from the private sector.
As of May 31, there were 1,589 families and 4,912 single adults in homeless accommodation in Dublin.
Notices of termination, largely driven by landlords selling their property, are the biggest driver of homelessness in the capital and is growing every year 鈥 rising from 32pc of new presentations in 2023 to 42pc this year.
Discharges from direct provision make up around a quarter of adult homelessness presentations 鈥 something that Ms Hayes described as a 鈥渃oncern鈥.
She also raises concern around the potential for increased family homelessness as a result of decisions to move families with asylum status from one part of the country to another.
The impact of homelessness and unstable living conditions on children is catastrophic
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman for Children will express his frustration that no progress is being made.
Dr Muldoon says it is 鈥渆xasperating鈥 to have to repeatedly deliver the message that even short-term exposure to homelessness 鈥渃an have a lifelong impact on children鈥.
His statement says: 鈥淭he impact of homelessness and unstable living conditions on children is catastrophic. It affects every aspect of their lives; education, well-being, self-development.鈥
He will say it also has a 鈥渕onumental impact鈥 on the ability of children to access services and supports.
Children in homelessness have worries around 鈥渟pace, privacy, noise, not being able to have visitors, feelings of shame and embarrassment鈥, he says.
The effects have 鈥渞ippled across society鈥 and 鈥渃hildren have borne the biggest brunt of the ongoing crisis and we cannot forget that鈥.
Current laws, he says, treat children as a dependant of homeless adults 鈥 鈥渢hat is wrong鈥.
He says until children are considered in their own right, and their specific circumstances addressed, it will be difficult to make significant progress鈥.
He will say: 鈥淐hildren are resilient, but children are aware. Children see what is going on and they are affected and we can鈥檛 allow more and more children to be impacted by this crisis.鈥