New measures needed to protect kids from homelessness, Galway councillor says — ‘Children did not cause Ireland’s housing crisis’
A Galway City councillor has called on the Government for new legislation protecting children in emergency accommodation from homelessness.
Labour Councillor Níall McNelis has called for legislation that would prevent children from being evicted into homelessness.
Cllr McNelis noted that the number of children living in emergency accommodation is rising and has called for better prevention measures.
“In Galway, 204 children were already living in emergency accommodation in April. Behind every one of those numbers is a family living with uncertainty, stress and the constant fear of what happens next,” Cllr McNelis said.
“No child should be homeless in Galway in 2026. Yet that is the reality facing hundreds of children in our city and county. The latest figures show that 5,659 children were living in emergency accommodation nationally in July – an increase of 13pc in just one year.”
“Children did not cause Ireland’s housing crisis. They should not be paying the price for Government failure.”
“The Government talks about protecting children, but when a family is facing eviction, the system too often waits until they are homeless before offering help. That is backwards. Prevention must come before emergency accommodation.”
“That means making the Tenant in Situ scheme properly demand-led, giving local authorities the resources to acquire suitable homes, bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use, and ensuring families at risk of homelessness get meaningful support before an eviction takes place,” he added.
Cllr McNelis called on Government TDs representing Galway to lead the charge on supporting this legislation.