Sir, – Fr Peter McVerry (September 6th) is right about emergency homeless services. Trust has been working with people sleeping rough since 1975 and can verify that the situation is much worse now than it has ever been.
It is worth remembering that all of those working in the field of homelessness – administrators and politicians – agreed with the findings produced ad nauseam by researchers. This came at enormous expense to the taxpayer over the lifetime of the Homeless Initiative/Homeless Agency: it was claimed there was no need for emergency services and that homelessness would end by 2010.
The findings were never challenged where they should have been. Those not agreeing with the findings who attempted to highlight the need for emergency services for homeless people found themselves isolated and seen as not being progressive; and they were regularly accused of “maintaining people in their homeless state”.
The chickens have now come home to roost. – Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY,
Director Co-Founder,
Trust, Bride Road, Dublin 8.
