Housing in Ireland has been a bone of contention for centuries. However, housing for the great majority of people in Ireland has improved vastly in the past half century. Various schemes such as government grants, mortgage income tax relief, rental purchase schemes and many others have made it possible for many people to have good accommodation.

There is however a section of our community who live in appalling conditions and some of whom are totally homeless. A considerable number of the people who fall into this category are mentally unwell. Some are in poor accommodation because of their mental illness and in many cases their poor accommodation has exacerbated their mental ill health.

Voluntary Housing Grants from the Department of the Environment offer great potential to voluntary organisations to improve the lot of some of the people who suffer the physical torment and humiliation of living in such conditions.

Many local Mental Health Associations have done great work to support people in their area who are in urgent need of suitable accommodation. This has to be one of our most important contributions to Primary Care for the people we are striving to help.