DONEGAL Travellers Project is calling for urgent action to be taken by Donegal County Council and local agencies to address the homelessness crisis in Donegal. From January to November DTP had a record 22 cases of individuals and families requesting assistance for homelessness.“Number 1, we are calling for Donegal County Council to apply for resources from the Department of the Environment to build social housing and permanent halts,” said Siobhán McLaughlin, DTP Manager. “We don’t want the Housing Assistance Payment [HAP] to become the only source of housing support because people on HAP are experiencing discrimination from private landlords.“Number 2, we are calling for every authority to draw down the proper supports to address the needs of the homeless. In Donegal we have the St.Colmcille Hostel, but it doesn’t have anywhere near the facilities needed to meet the demand in the county.“Number 3, we are calling for the Council to appoint a Homelessness Support Officer to represent and address the needs, interests, and rights of homeless individuals and families. “And Number 4, we are calling for all politicians and all agencies with responsibility for families, children, and young people to work together to meet the needs of homeless familiesin Donegal. We need an interagency strategy to address the needs of homeless families, both short-term and long-term. Every organisation funded to work with children, families, and young people has a responsibility to be actively involved in addressing the homelessness crisis in this county.”
