Radio presenter Colm Hayes has accused the Government of lying about the homeless crisis.
The Nova breakfast host and programme director said the issue was being used as a “political football”.
Six years on from the first Homeless Radiothon, raising funds for Focus Ireland, the Dubliner added: “It’s a travesty, it’s something that’s brought home to us every year. This is getting worse.
“On the radiothon we follow a girl called Selina. She fell between the cracks of society and what we tend to do is do nothing. She’s become a political football when there’s a General Election and people need votes.
“But after the new Government goes in, the homeless are forgotten about. We have a civic duty to lean in and help these people out of the cracks.”
The 57-year-old feels it does not add up when the establishment says it can solve the crisis.
He added: “They have a finite amount of money, they can’t magic it up when it doesn’t exist.
“They’re lying, they should be held accountable within 100 days.”
Single mum-of-two Selina Hogan said last year’s Nova Radiothon helped her to escape a life of homelessness.
The 34-year-old added: “In 2017 Focus Ireland asked me if I’d like to get involved with the radiothon. It helped shine a light on my journey. I wanted to show how a positive attitude and vibes are so important to get through stuff.
“It is going to be OK, it’s a battle but you get your forever home in the end. To me it felt like I’d won the EuroMillions.”
* More details on the radiothon are available at www.homelessradiothon.ie
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