Yesterday’s budget saw no resolution on rent control or an increase in rent supplement following negotiations between Environment Minister Alan Kelly and Finance Minister Michael Noonan.
Earlier today, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the Government will not intervene in the housing market to curb rent rises:
Newstalk Lunchtime's Jonathan Healy travelled to the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin city centre, where homeless people and people in danger of becoming homeless are cared for by Brother Kevin Crowley.
Brother Kevin says "usually on a Wednesday we'd have around 1,700 [people] for food parcels, which is in this day and age absolutely appalling".
The parcels come with household commodities such as tea, sugar, milk and bread- the bare minimum "to help people along for a few days".
The centre also has around 300 people for breakfast, and in the afternoon around 500 people for dinner, six days a week.
On the subject of the Budget having arguably nothing concrete to help deal with the homeless crisis, Brother Kevin says "it doesn't surprise me at all. All I can expect from the Government for the homeless people is lip talk and no action".
Listen back to the full report below:
