Homelessness figures make for "grim" reading according to Waterford Councillor

General Election candidate in Waterford, Councillor Conor McGuinness, has said it's only his party's housing plan will address what he described as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s homeless crisis.

Cllr McGuinness, who is also his party's group leader on Waterford City & County Council, said Sinn Féin's "alternative housing plan" is the best option going forward.

The West Waterford representative was commenting on the latest Department of Housing’s homelessness report, for July, which showed record number of people in emergency accomodation.

“The July homeless report from the Department of Housing recorded 14,429 people, including 4,401, children in emergency accommodation last month," he said.

"In the South East, 298 adults and 111 children are currently in council-managed emergency accommodation," he added.

"Once again, another grim homelessness record has been reached under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael."

Cllr McGuinness said that while the figures painted a grim picture the situation was actually worse because they didn't include other types of emergency accommodation and he also said the figures didn't reflect the "many thousands of families and individuals experiencing hidden homelessness across the state".

“It is quite clear at this stage that the Government’s housing plan is not working," he said.

"In fact it is making things worse, more adults, children, families, single people and pensioners are homelessness today than when this Government took office four years ago," he added.

He went on to comment: “Only a change of Government and Sinn Féin’s alternative housing plan will address Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s homeless crisis."

"This week Sinn Féin will launch our comprehensive, detailed and fully costed alternative housing plan," he said.

"It will set out how to end long term homelessness by 2030," he added. "This can be achieved, but only with a Sinn Féin-led Government.”