Lucan students to sleep out to highlight homeless crisis
By Brendan Grehan
IT HASN’T gone away and homelessness is nearly always the first item on the news agenda, with “10,305 homeless people recorded in Ireland” this year.
The students of Lucan Community College’s Amnesty group are committed to tackling the issue and keeping it at the top of the agenda.
Lucan Community College
Now in its fifth year, tomorrow, Friday May 10, the students from the group will be sleeping out from 8pm until 8am in the grounds of Lucan Community College.
Over 30 senior students, will sleep outside in the school courtyard overnight, to gain an insight into what it’s like to sleep rough, to raise awareness of the housing emergency and to show solidarity with the families, children and individuals affected by homelessness.
The students are keen to get across the idea that when people think of homelessness they often don’t think of its more hidden forms.
People often think homelessness is just sleeping rough and don’t think of families living in emergency accommodation, hubs and hotels, people couch surfing, people living in unsafe environments, people in direct provision centres, people sleeping in hospitals, cars and B&Bs.
Students sleeping out in 2017
They have invited TDs from their constituency and relevant Dáil politicians, local Councillors and the Mayor of South Dublin County Council to attend the “Sleep Out” to discuss solutions for the homeless crisis.
They will be presenting them with a petition from our school community to take to the Dail, calling on the Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy TD, to act urgently and build more houses.
A 6th year student who has done the “sleep out” three years in a row told The Echo: “There is too much talking about the issue and not enough action.
Another Student said: “As of March this year 2019, there are 10,305 homeless people recorded in Ireland. This is a shocking increase”.
TAGS Lucan
