I thank you for allowing me to raise this very serious matter on the Adjournment this evening. A major crisis is developing as regards youth homelessness, especially in our larger urban centres. Many young people are left in a tragic cycle of persistent and intermittent homelessness because of the lack of suitable support structures. Their needs are obviously not being met through the existing child care services.
The lack of accommodation means that young people are exploited by the many desperate horrors of life on the streets. There is alcohol abuse, drug abuse and shop lifting. Crime, and even prostitution are a means of survival for these homeless youths. Their means of survival create further problems for the Garda and the District Courts. We have seen several examples of this in recent months.
The national survey carried out by the Streetwise National Coalition in 1987 revealed a serious problem in regard to youth homelessness in all the major cities. Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin in particular lack sufficient facilities for teenage boys and girls who are homeless. They found that 306 young people outside of Dublin were homeless while there were 406 young homeless people in Dublin. In the time available to me tonight, I wish to point out the last major survey of the homeless was carried out in 1925. I appeal to the Government and the Minister to carry out an in-depth analysis of the homeless at this stage.
Since 1987 some improvements have been made. These include the opening of a small hostel in Cork. However, no facilities are available for teenage girls in Cork; they are referred to Edel House, an adult hostel which caters for homeless women who have experienced violence. In Galway, hostel accommodation for teenage boys at risk and out of home is provided at Cyrene House but, again, girls are referred to an adult hostel, Waterside House. In Limerick, a hostel and night shelter for teenage girls at risk was established by the Good Shepherd nuns in 1989 in Clare Street. In 1989 alone, 63 young women were accommodated in that hostel, most of whom were under 18 years of age. However, there is no equivalent service for teenage boys who are referred by the health board to the adult men's hostel. This is an unsatisfactory arrangement. These incidents are repeated all over the country where teenage boys and girls are referred to adult hostels in Cork, Galway, Limerick and especially in Dublin where the problem is endemic and the position is deteriorating.
Focuspoint make this case very strongly in their report which was published yesterday. They revealed a 35 per cent increase in the use of their services for the year up to May last. The number of young teenagers appealing for accommodation has now reached 26 a month. Sister Stanislaus Kennedy said:
On average we are getting one new homeless person coming to us for help each day. We are able to help only around 60 per cent.
A shortage of services for young people and widespread unemployment are blamed for the escalating problem of youth homelessness.
In their annual report for June 1990 to May 1991 Focuspoint revealed that 317 teenagers under the age of 17 sought accommodation from them; two out of three were first time callers but only one third of the young people were placed in appropriate homes and hostels. A shortage of emergency beds meant that many more young teenagers had to go to inappropriate accommodation, such as adult hostels.