Sir, – The figures quoted by Kitty Holland are frightening ("€2.34m spent on hotels for families so far this year", May 22nd). But the stories behind this figures which the society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) members are witnessing are even more disheartening.
Just a fraction of the examples our members have experienced in the past few months include families with teenage children all living in one room. Families unable to have hot food in their rooms and no place locally to have a meal that they can afford. One young couple whose fridge was turned off despite trying to bottle-feed their infant child.
Families stressed by living together in one room for long periods. Children unable to study properly. Families living far away from schools, other family members and community supports. Parents driving across the city to bring children to school and having to sit in their car all day because they could not afford the petrol for five return journeys. Families living in uncertainty because the hotels might sell the rooms if there is an event happening in the hotel.
SVP members can only provide emergency and short-term help and a friendly face. The situation these families are struggling with needs a more long-term solution.
SVP members are staggered by the costs of this type of accommodation and wonder would it not have been more appropriate of the State to ensure that families could have been kept in their homes in the first place. – Yours, etc,
JOHN-MARK
McCAFFERTY,
Head of Social Justice
and Policy,
Society of St Vincent de Paul,
Sean McDermott Street,
Dublin 1.