Homelessness in Waterford

niallo76

Great buzz around the town tonight for the opening of this year's winterval.City looks great and well done to all involved.Couldnt overlook the fact that at 7 o clock outside an auctioneers on high street and outside the doorway of Heroes that two homeless people were bedded down for the night.Absolutely hearbreaking to see.With limited capacity in Macgwire house and an increase in homelessness across the city,wondering if there will be a statement and action from our representatives about the lack of facilities to address this situation that's rapidly escalating in our beautiful county.

Yellow_Fern

Sadly we won't see any change there. The government has cemented in the changes to ensure housing is short supply for many years to come and realistically, there is no major difference between FF, FG or SF. They are all singing from the same hymn sheet. Actually policy appears to come from twitter and the NGOs.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119893072#Comment_119893072

disagree there, theres major differences between governmental parties and sf, on housing, but this problem wont be solved easily or quickly, im expecting this to persist into the next decade, sf will have limited abilities to change the situation, and will more than likely need more than a single term to resolve anything related to it. polices are ultimately driven from major sectors, in particular the fire sectors, and we dont know what to do about it, this is also not just an irish problem, but almost a global one, with many developed countries experiencing more or less the same problem

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058272370/winterval-2022

Why are you starting a thread about Winterval to make a point about homelessness/rough sleepers.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119893335#Comment_119893335

They differ in approach but no party is willing to address basic fundamentals behind the housing crisis, including SF. The will is not there, increased mitigation l, certainly but that's all.

I say that as someone who has voted SF since the mid 90s.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119893483#Comment_119893483

sf are beating a slightly different drum, but will absolutely struggle to get to grips with the problem when in government, so much so, i truly cant see them changing much over the next few years, the only solution is significant increase in state interventions, and a reduction in more financialised entities, we also need to introduce measures to reduce wealth accumulation related to property, i.e. increasing related taxes, lvt, property related taxes etc, but nobody is currently willing to grasp that nettle, including sf.

i think the will is certainly there from all, but approaches are radically different, and you can be damn sure, ffg polices will never work, as the fundamentals of their beliefs and ideologies are in a state of collapse, and they have a refusal to accept this reality, they ll find out at the next ge how bad things are for them, but....

914

Forgetting about the problems in the country, this thread is about winterval and it was a great opening night.

Great crowd and atmosphere around the town last night. Really well done to all involved, definitely seems to have the spark back again this year.

Cabaal

MOD: For the sake clarity I've edited the thread title as this really is more to do with homelessness in Waterford then Winterval. Especially as there is often a Winterval thread each year so its going to cause confusion otherwise.

niallo76

Apologies to all,I know I started the thread for Winterval,this was not a dig at what has been done for this year's festivities in any shape or form.As I said the city looks fantastic.I was just struck by the two individuals that were bedded down for the night in the city center and was thinking what options do these souls have for shelter/warmth/food for the next few weeks as the festivities continue around the city.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896108#Comment_119896108

Well offer them a room so if it bothers you that much!

That guy in the Shaws doorway looks a well fed kind of chap!

The majority of these people are scammers!

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119905328#Comment_119905328

Any facts behind that, or just "The dogs in the street know it"?

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119905371#Comment_119905371

There has been some serious concerns raised in other parts of the country about the impact of organised gangs who may be trafficking vulnerable people here to beg professionally.

Supposedly mini buses have been bringing people into certain towns in the mornings and collecting them in the evenings.

Like everything there will be a mixture of those who genuinely need help and those who take advantage.

I saw it last year in town as HB describes it.

Sitting down with paper cup in hand along Broad Street, Georges Street, Gladstone Street, along Merchants Quay

& up Barronstrand Street & these people live in the city centre!

But these are the people we've given homes to when it should have been a one way ticket out of here!