Background to the Research

• This study assessed the scale and nature of homelessness in the broadly rural and geographically adjacent counties of Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Monaghan and Tyrone, and examined how existing provision meets the needs of homeless people. The research also looked at the scale and nature of the cross-border movement of homeless people.

Research Approach

• A questionnaire was sent to voluntary and statutory organisations located in the study area. One to one follow-up interviews were also carried out with a selection of these representatives. The views of voluntary and statutory representatives and those of homeless people themselves were recorded in focus groups.
  

Main Findings

• Homelessness does occur in the counties of Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Monaghan and Tyrone while the scale of the problem appears to be greater in the NI counties than in the ROI counties.
• Official figures for the area covered by the study show that in 1996-97, 1,983 households reported as homeless in NI compared with only 26 families in the ROI. However, the author points out that official figures from the ROI are seriously inadequate and, in the counties of Cavan, Leitrim and Monaghan, are likely to be ten times higher than those produced by the official figures.
• The statutory and voluntary representatives suggested that a prominent reason for homelessness was alcohol/substance abuse.
• More than half of all homeless people consulted for the research had slept rough at some stage.
• Homeless people believed that the general public lacked sympathy for the plight of the homeless.
• The report highlighted a number of perceived weaknesses in provision for homeless people. In NI, this included a poor range of accommodation, ineffective multi-agency cooperation and inadequate hostel accommodation. In the ROI, the perceived weaknesses included the failure of Local Authorities to carry out their statutory duties, a lack of funding for provision, an insufficient stock of affordable housing and poor multi-agency cooperation.
• About half of all those questioned thought that cross-border movement of homeless people did occur, although this was believed to be on a relatively low scale, with more ROI to NI movement than vice-versa.
• The four main reasons identified for this cross-border movement were: economic reasons (e.g. better supply of accommodation), links with relatives, conflict related reasons (e.g. intimidation) and the movement of Travellers.
• Cross-border links between agencies working with homeless people were believed to be poor.

Recommendations

• There is a need to develop and improve existing provision for homeless people in the study area.
• Further hostel accommodation should be provided in both jurisdictions.
• The supply of suitable accommodation for single homeless people should be increased.
• Homeless people living in hostels should be helped and encouraged to move to independent living; they should also have a say in the services provided by hostels.
• In NI, greater multi-agency cooperation is encouraged.
• In ROI, the initiation of a multi-agency Homeless Forum is encouraged.
• A cross-border multi-agency committee should be set up in order to increase cross-border cooperation in the area of homelessness.