MLRC’s Response to comments from An Taoiseach Simon Harris on homelessness and immigration
MLRC’s response to comments from An Taoiseach Simon Harris on homelessness and immigration Mercy Law Resource Centre (“MLRC”) has deep concerns over the representation of the issue of homelessness in Ireland by An Taoiseach Simon Harris. MLRC has provided legal advice, support, and representation to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness since 2009. During […]
Speech of Caoilfhionn Gallagher, K.C., IHREC at launch of MLRC report “The Lived Experience of Long-Term Family Homelessness on Minority Ethnic Families and the Effects on Their Children”
Mercy Law Resource Centre Launch of Report TITLE: Excluded and Left Behind: The Lived Experience of Long-Term Family Homelessness on Minority Ethnic Families and the Effects on Their Children Where: Wisdom Centre, 25 Cork Street, Dublin 8 When: Tuesday, 10 September 2024, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, K.C., IHREC Introduction Thank you for the invitation to speak with […]
No, You Don’t Need to Be on the Social Housing Waiting List to Get Access to Emergency Accommodation
Mercy Law has seen a significant rise in the number of cases received related to local authorities refusing to provide emergency accommodation to persons experiencing homelessness. Local authorities have presented our clients with a myriad of reasons for these refusals, or, in many cases, no reason is being provided at all. Refusals to provide access […]
Homelessness outside of Dublin: Rising Numbers, Insufficient Services and Training
It is well known that the number of homeless people in Ireland has risen dramatically in recent years. According to data from the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, there were 13,318 individuals living in State funded emergency accommodation in Ireland in the third week of December 2023.[1] This is an increase of 86% […]
Conference on Social Housing, Domestic Violence and the Public Sector Duty
Mercy Law Resource Centre (MLRC) is hosting a Conference on Social Housing, Domestic Violence and the Public Sector Duty on 5 September 2023 from 9.30am – 1pm in the Wisdom Centre, 25 Cork Street, Dublin D08 YD91. This multi-disciplinary conference will see academic and legal experts as well as civil society voices discuss the barriers to accessing social […]
Social housing offers and refusals – what’s the law?
In the context of recent media reports discussing statistics on refusals of offers of social housing, we outline the legal framework that applies to offers of social housing and provide important context to some common grounds of refusal. On 12 June 2023 the Sunday Independent published an article titled ‘Too small, no garden, ‘unsuitable’ location, […]
Opening remarks from Edward Gleeson, Chair of the Board of Mercy Law Resource Centre, at launch of report which examines the impact of the 5 year partnership between Mercy Law, A&L Goodbody and Focus Ireland
“It is my great pleasure as Chair of Mercy Law to be here today at A&L Goodbody for the launch of Housing Rights and Homelessness-Lessons from a Pro Bono Partnership-Impact of Pandemic and Beyond. This is a very timely occasion as homelessness statistics again reach a new high of 12,259 and the need for inter-agency […]
New data accessed by MLRC on number and duration of Family Long Stays in Emergency Accommodation
According to Dublin Regional Homelessness Authority data received by Mercy Law under a Freedom of Information request on February 28th, 2023, there were 203 families living in emergency accommodation for two or more years across the Dublin Local Authority areas. This represents 363 adults and 523 children, and 17.42% of all families in emergency accommodation. […]
MLRC – Submission for Housing Commission’s Public Consultations, April 2023
[fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” border_style=”solid”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_repeat=”no-repeat” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” hover_type=”none” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_text] The Housing Commission’s public consultation is open until 18 April 2023. Brief submissions are sought on a series of questions which aim […]
Know Your Rights: Ending of the Eviction Ban
[fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” border_style=”solid”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_repeat=”no-repeat” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” hover_type=”none” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_text] In this Know your Rights flyer, MLRC explains the legal rights of those who will be impacted by the ending of the […]