WHAT RECORD LEVEL OF HOMELESSNESS?

The thing about the Northern Ireland government is not just that it contains terrorists (though that is bad enough) but that it is also irredeemably socialist. Take  the announcement by "Social Development" Minister Carmel Hanna that she is going to give £40m of tax-payers money in "grants" to those who wish to refurbish vacant houses in order to cope with what she alleges to be "record levels of homelessness". This is pure self-serving drivel. It's like when she drones on about record levels of poverty - all spurious but all necessary in order to justify her appropriation of public funds. Northern Ireland has record LOW LEVELS of homelessness, so much so that hundreds of thousands of immigrants can come here and manage to find accommodations! but to socialists like Hanna there has yet to be a problem invented that throwing money at it cannot solve. Pass the sickbag and spare us the socialist sanctimony.

Comments

[Dawkins]

David,

"Northern Ireland has record LOW LEVELS of homelessness"

Are you sure? The Simon Community tell another story:

Official statistics indicate a growing homelessness problem.

The Housing Executive records the level of homelessness in Northern Ireland. Last year 21,013 households presented as homeless to the NIHE.

Almost half of those who apply to the NIHE as homeless are assessed as meeting the legal criteria i.e. are 'unintentionally homeless' and in 'priority need'. Those who meet the legal criteria are referred to as Full Duty applicants. In 2006/07 9,749 were Full Duty applicants – and received the full level of assistance available under the law.

Simon Community Northern Ireland records and collates information about individuals seeking help from the organisation. On the one hand these figures are not completely in addition to NI Housing Executive statistics, yet there are also occasions when the homeless person or household does not apply to the NI Housing Executive. The following summary shows the level of need coming to the Simon Community Northern Ireland during 2006/07:

* 3,784 individuals approached Simon Community in need of emergency accommodation.

* 189 families approached Simon Community in need of emergency accommodation.

* 1067 individuals were accommodated and supported in the 279 bed spaces managed by Simon Community.

* 160 adults and 132 children were accommodated and supported in 48 bed spaces managed by Simon Community across 3 sites.

* Just over half (51%) of Simon residents were 16 – 25 years old.

* The main reasons for coming to Simon Community were homelessness as a result of family conflict (31.9%), a dispute with a partner or spouse (13.7%) and intimidation (9.3%).

* over 17% (669) of all people coming to the Simon Community slept rough at some point in the previous 2 weeks.

Have you ever given thought to the following? If we had a genuinely socialist—i.e. caring—society, it would be unnecessary for noble people to devote their free time to institutions like the Simon Community, who in effect are doing work the authorities should be doing.

[Henry94]

Dawkins

If we had a genuinely socialist—i.e. caring—society,

Socialist and caring are not the same thing. Under a socialist society it would not only be job of the authorities to find a home for the small number who are in difficulty. They would take it on themselves to allocate housing to everybody thus taking from the vast majority a task they are quite capable of doing for themselves.

Homelessness is usually (not always) caused by either addiction or marriage breakdown. Socialism has no cure for either.

[Dawkins]

Henry,

"Socialist and caring are not the same thing."

They are in Holland and Scandinavia. Such a shame that so-called "socialist" states such as the former USSR have given the notion a bad name.

[Henry94]

Dawkins

They have homelessness in Holland and Scandinavia too.

[David Vance]

Simon Community "statistics" are self serving and I challenge the criteria used to produce them.There IS no record levels of homelessness -it's a scam.

[Dawkins]

David,

"Simon Community 'statistics' are self serving"

No, YOU are self-serving. The Simon Community serves the interests of the homeless.

[David Vance]

Dawkins,

Let's consider whose income depends on "the homeless" mine or the Simon Community? Vested interests prevail. They're lying through their teeth spewing out loads of meaningless stats - all to ensure the poverty industry is lucrative for them.

[Dawkins]

David,

Come off it. You posted that article this morning so you could take a sideways swipe at the immigrants.

Do please let the Simon Community be. Your last comment is unworthy of you.