Homeless people in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin are being accommodated in containers due to a lack of hostel facilities in the area. The facility was started in January 2002 by Crosscare, a Catholic social agency in conjunction with the HSE and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. It consists of two portacabins that can accommodate 22 people. The facility is funded by the HSE and the County Council through the Department of Environment and Local Government, but managed by Crosscare. The night containers are housed in the grounds of the HSE on Tivoli road in Dún Laoghaire. Initially it was a temporary project set up for two months but according to a Crosscare spokesperson, "there was a need there and it was constantly being used". Add a comment

A TASC publication suggests the number of people in Ireland in need of housing may be a quarter of a million Add a comment

The United Nations expert on housing was shocked by the extent of homelessness in Dublin and warned against property speculation driving the Irish economy. Add a comment

Aged 18 months, Marie Therese O'Loughlin fell into a blazing fire at a Legion of Mary mother-and-baby unit. Now she is seeking compensation under the Residential Institutions Redress Board. Emma Browne reports Add a comment

Marie Therese O'Loughlin is seeking the addition of the Regina Ceoli mother-and-baby unit to the institutions being considered by Residential Institutions Redress Board, so she can get redress for the injuries she received there in 1952. Add a comment

Underfunding, inequitable services and dysfunctional economic incentives are cited as contributing factors to Ireland's chaotic healthcare system. A new report from Irish Congress of Trade Unions, written by economist and journalist Maev-Ann Wren and American health policy expert Dale Tussing, exposes Government failures and warns against privatisation. By Sara Burke Add a comment

When it comes to childcare, Ireland is a half-century behind other developed countries, and the issue is set to be a major one at the next General Election. The political parties are now vying with each other to rectify the State's huge neglect in this area Add a comment

Fianna Fáil has not revealed its hand as yet on the childcare issue – this, presumably, will be done in the forthcoming Budget. The party states that the Government will continue to support parents by providing more child benefit, more childcare places in every county and by investing in early education. Add a comment