Download the 2002 Annual report here - Focus Ireland

Foreword
Focus Ireland has a proud track record of
both understanding and explaining the
problem of homelessness as well as
demonstrating how services can be
developed to support and enable people to
improve and change their circumstances.
In this context, it is dispiriting to
introduce another annual report with a
litany of facts and figures that question
our ability and commitment as a society
to addressing the needs of our most
excluded. It is clear the problem of
homelessness is a structural one.
Housing waiting lists have shot up 24%
from 39,000 in 1999 to a current
record high of 48,413 households.
That’s a staggering total of nearly
140,000 men, women and children who
don’t have a proper place to call home.
Last year the Government admitted it
will not meet its housing commitments
under the PPF to provide 25,000 new
house starts from 2000-2003. This
means the housing waiting lists will
continue to grow unchecked and people
will have to wait even longer before
being housed.
It is therefore no surprise that people
who are homeless remain so for longer
than ever before, while the numbers of
people without a home continue to rise.
Focus Ireland’s recent experience is
worrying. The nature of the damage and
needs we are encountering in our work is
more profound and more difficult to
engage and resolve than before.
We in Focus Ireland have continued to
learn from our customers’ experiences
and needs and have sought to raise
awareness and understanding of their
ongoing issues and evolving needs with
the general public and directly with the
agencies and authorities who are in a
position to drive meaningful structural
change. Focus Ireland’s unique value
continues to be our willingness and
ability to engage our clients in the whole
range of their needs and to do so in a
manner that achieves an impact in their
life and a change in their circumstances.
We know the problems and the issues
and are learning, along with our clients,
how to create solutions to these same
issues and problems. However,
organisations like Focus Ireland will
never be able to solve these problems
alone. The type of services and housing
provided by Focus Ireland need to be
replicated on a larger scale to respond
properly to this growing crisis. Only then
can we say we’re on our way to living in
a society proud to include everyone and
not one which continues to exclude its
most marginalized people.
Our Annual Report represents some of
our efforts over the past year in
developing our client support and
housing services to continue identifying
and responding to gaps in existing
services. I am immensely proud of Focus
Ireland’s work and commend it to you.
Given the circumstances within which
we work of more profound needs on a
greater scale, and with funding required
by organisations like Focus Ireland being
cut, I am particularly proud that we have
continued to innovate and harness
greater support and resolve.
On behalf of Focus Ireland - Thank you.
Declan Jones
Chief Executive
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