Focus Ireland founder Sr Stan shares the importance of the charity’s Limerick services

IT'S been a tough year for many people in Limerick dealing with the rising cost of living crisis, but imagine the added heartbreak of being homeless?

Focus Ireland has been working harder than ever in 2023 supporting 645 households in Limerick who are homeless or at risk (figures from January 2023 to November 2023).

Focus Ireland began work in Limerick in 1998 when President Mary McAleese opened our development at Parnell Place to provide 17 homes in the city.

Our work has grown as we now provide over 230 homes throughout the city and county through our own developments by Focus Housing Association and also in close partnership with Limerick Council.

Focus Ireland also supports households in Limerick through housing and services work and many more through our Tenancy Support and Settlement service.

Homelessness not just a Dublin issue

The total number of people homeless is now over 13,000 for the first time ever - this includes 338 adults in Limerick.

While family homelessness is mostly a Dublin crisis many are at risk around the country due to the housing crisis. As I write there are over 100 children in emergency accommodation in the Mid-West region.

This crisis means that a record total of over 4,000 children will be homeless in Ireland this Christmas. Many are only babies. It is disgraceful they will be spending their first Christmas in life without a place to call home.

It is wrong that this is happening. Christmas should be a time of joy and creating special memories that will last a lifetime.

Sadly, children who are homeless will be stuck in emergency accommodation with no proper place to put up a tree, play or even have family and friends over to visit.

It is also incredibly stressful for parents as they can often feel misplaced guilt for being homeless. Our staff work with families every day to help them deal with the trauma caused by losing their home.

Ireland is not a poor country, and we must always remember that homelessness is not inevitable and can be prevented by the right policies.

Focus Ireland has called on the Government to give a fairer share of the social housing coming on stream to families who are long-term homeless.

By doing this they could ensure that at least no child would suffer homelessness for more than six months.

In the mist of this crisis, it is important to highlight that there is good work being done every day by Focus Ireland, other NGOs, and the State to prevent and end homelessness.

We also provide 1,400 homes in Ireland and have ended homelessness for so many families and individuals.

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Our Christmas appeal features one mother who very kindly told her family’s story. I think her words really show the terrible reality of homelessness for families and what a difference getting a home makes for people.

Kate said: “For the first year we were homeless my husband and our three children all lived in one room in emergency accommodation. When my husband came home from work each day, I had to take five minutes and sit on the stairs and cry.”

Then the family’s life changed when Focus Ireland helped them to secure a home. Kate said: “My son has now his own room. Just sleeping in your own bed, on clean sheets. It is like heaven for us all.”

Focus Ireland is helping many families like Kate’s to escape from the nightmare of homelessness. But we cannot do this life-changing work without your help.

We are heavily reliant on its fundraising to keep its services going in the local area as the charity stressed that it needs to raise over 40% of its annual running costs from public donations and corporate sponsorship.

Every day a child spends in homelessness hurts them even more.

This Christmas, please help stop this needless suffering for children and their families.

Focus Ireland advise anyone who is worried about their housing situation – be it falling behind with the rent, facing eviction or whatever the problem may be – to contact Focus Ireland housing advice and information services in Limerick at 7a, Catherine Place, Limerick City.

You can call 061405300 and also email help@focusireland.ie