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What does this mean?
It’s your right that you have a safe place to live.
It is your parent’s job to make sure your basic needs are met, this includes enough food, water, health care and a safe place to live. It is the Government’s job to help your family do that.
There are building regulations in Ireland so that houses that are built are safe to live in.
EXAMPLE: For those not able to afford their own house, you can apply for social housing from your local authority. There is a long list of people waiting for a social house.
Learn more about this right
Do I have this right in Ireland?
- There is no specific right to housing in Irish law. If you have no-where to live, the Government should put you in emergency accommodation.
- Some people are worried about the effects of living in emergency accommodation on children’s lives, including their mental health and education.
- The UN has told Ireland that it needs to think about making housing a right.
- Under the Housing Act 1966-2004, it’s the right of your parents to apply for social housing assistance should they pass the conditions.
Doing a project?
- The right to adequate housing is about the right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity.
- Social housing means that you are allocated a house from your local authority if you can prove that you can’t afford your own house. There is a long waiting list to receive social housing.
- The Government has an action plan called Rebuilding Ireland to increase the amount of houses built. Some people say progress isn’t fast enough.
- As of March 2019, there are 1,688 children living in Direct Provision in Ireland. These are refugees or asylum seekers waiting to find out if they can stay in Ireland.
- Over 3,700 children, along with their family, were homeless in Ireland in December 2018.
- There are 329,119 children living in rented accommodation in Ireland in 2016, up 39.4% from the previous census.
- 9 out of 10 children reported feeling safe in the area where they live, according to the HBSC survey.
Links to other organisations
- Focus Ireland – Learn more about homelessness in Ireland
- Simon Community – Learn more about homelessness in Ireland
- Lives in limbo – Learn more about Direct Provision in Ireland
- Consultation with children and young people in Direct Provision – In this report, you can learn more about children and young people’s views on what it’s like to live in Direct Provision
- No Place Like Home – A consultation by the OCO with 80 young people living in Family Hubs in 2019
