Homeless charities raise concerns over housing bill

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has written to the Minister for Housing expressing serious concern about Government amendments to the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

The Commission has warned that the proposed amendments "fundamentally change Ireland's homelessness framework".

It stated that the bill would, for the first time, introduce lawful and habitual residence requirements for access to emergency homeless accommodation.

IHREC also expressed concern that access to emergency accommodation would be dependent "not only on whether a person is homeless, but also on meeting residency conditions that currently apply to social housing".

It said the changes could leave vulnerable people without emergency accommodation, increase rough sleeping and disproportionately affect groups already at heightened risk of homelessness.

Homeless service providers have repeatedly called on the Government to pause the passage of the legislation through the Oireachtas to allow more consideration.

Two weeks ago, they warned that the legislation would exclude vulnerable people from social housing and homelessness services.

They said that the new residency requirements risked excluding groups including victims of domestic violence, trafficking survivors, refugees and some migrants.

They also criticised the bill's rapid progression through the Oireachtas without enough consultation or an impact assessment.

They have reiterated their concerns again this week as the legislation gets closer to becoming law.

Yesterday, Focus Ireland Director of Advocacy Mike Allen said the published bill included "so many ill-considered measures, it is impossible to detail them all in one press statement".

He called for the legislation to be put on hold while it is given the "detailed consideration it merits" or for the Seanad to play its constitutional role.

'A grave worry'

This afternoon, the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice added its voice to concerns saying that the current bill would inevitably increase homelessness.

Housing policy advocate Dr Alexia O'Brien described the change in habitual residency requirements for whole households as "a grave worry".

Currently, one member of a household needs to prove habitual residency, whereas under the new bill all members of the household (excluding children) will need to prove this.

"Proving habitual residency is a labour-intensive process for the household, and the decision is left at the discretion of the housing officer, meaning the room for error and/or discrimination increases significantly," she said.

One of the main providers of temporary accommodation across the island of Ireland has also expressed deep concern about the bill.

Depaul said it was "alarmed and dismayed at the process", adding that it had been rushed through the Oireachtas "without normal consultation and consideration".

CEO David Carroll said there was deep frustration over what he described as a clear disregard by the Government to the concerns aired by those working at the frontline of this homelessness crisis.

"Whereas clarity and joined up thinking is what we need - this bill creates a range of new uncertainties about access to emergency accommodation and how vulnerable people will be treated.

"This regressive legislation will have profound effects on the most vulnerable people in our society," he said.

Dublin Simon Community, which recently highlighted the issue at the launch of its 2025 annual report, has issued a further statement.

CEO Catherine Kenny said the charity could not remain silent due to the "very real risks" associated with the legislation.

"This bill has the potential to see more people turned away with nowhere left to go other than the streets," she said.

She added that access to emergency accommodation "should always be led by need not entitlement. Shelter is a human right, and no one should have to bed down on the street."

The Government is of the view that the bill provides greater legal clarity and consistency by putting existing eligibility rules for social housing on a statutory footing.

When asked at the Dublin Simon annual report launch about the speed at which the legislation has gone through the Oireachtas, Minister for Housing James Brown said there had been ample debate over the legislation.