People Are Being Asked To Donate Their Water Charge Refunds To Help The Homeless

Homeless charities in Ireland are appealing to people expecting refunds from Irish Water to help tackle the growing homeless crisis.

Up to €173m is expected to be handed back to almost one million customers before the Christmas period.

The Simon Community, Focus Ireland and Peter McVerry Trust have teamed up to launch a campaign called 'The Refund Project' to encourage those who can to donate some money.

If people donated their refunds, it could help up to 8,000 homeless people across Dublin and the whole of Ireland.

In a joint statement, the three charities said:

"The issue of homelessness is very complex, but everybody has a role to play - government, charities and society.

"It's important to stress that this will not lessen in any way the responsibility of government and policy makers to drive forward the national homelessness strategy."

The latest figures show that 89 families became homeless in Dublin in September of this year alone.

There are now 8,374 homeless people across Ireland - 5,250 adults and 3,124 children - meaning than more than one in three people who are homeless is a child, according to Focus Ireland.

Would you donate some of your refund to homeless charities?