Editorial: Politicians Pledge Change as Homeless Crisis Deepens

For over 50 years, people have been lining up outside the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin, yet we still find ourselves struggling to address the needs of the poor. This was painfully evident yesterday when the Christmas food parcels ran out, leaving many in desperate need without help.

While it might seem like a familiar, even accepted sight, this is not something that should be taken as normal in our modern, prosperous capital city. In a time of great wealth, the fact that so many people are still relying on charity should be a wake-up call.

The long queues outside the Centre, stretching along the quay even before dawn, are a stark reminder of the scale of the issue. People didn’t show up because they wanted something—they came because they had nowhere else to turn. Their need is urgent, and it underscores the failure of our society to provide adequate support.

As election promises of change echoed through the campaign, one area in need of immediate attention is the growing homeless crisis. With almost 15,000 homeless people in Ireland, including over 4,600 children, it’s clear where we should start. Many of these individuals are living in emergency accommodation, while others face the harsh reality of sleeping on the streets, surviving on meager handouts.

The Capuchin Day Centre provides around 1,000 meals each day, a significant increase from just 700 five years ago. Yet, for the first time in its 30-year history, the centre ran out of Christmas parcels so early in the season. Alan Bailey, the manager, emphasized this as a troubling sign of the increasing need.

With the new government set to form soon, as Taoiseach Simon Harris hopes for its establishment by January, it is clear that one of its top priorities should be addressing the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. We must question how we got to this point, and how much longer we can afford to ignore the suffering right on our doorstep.

There is a saying that no one leads a charmed life without needing help at some point. This applies not only to individuals, but to societies as well. If we fail to recognize the significance of those in need, we risk creating a system where the most vulnerable are left behind, despite our promises to the contrary.

It’s easy to forget the importance of seemingly small people or tasks in our lives, but they too are essential. Just as an exam question once asked future doctors about the name of the woman who cleaned the lab to remind them that every individual matters, so too should we remember the significance of those struggling outside the Capuchin Day Centre.