In 2019, the Peter McVerry Trust secured Ireland’s largest-ever State-funded contract for homeless services after bidding €10 million below the cost estimated by the authorities. In December, the State began a bail-out of the cash-strapped charity, which may cost taxpayers up to €15 million by the end of March. There is no direct link between these two figures. They do, however, illustrate a shift in national policy after years underpaying the organisations to which the Government outsources support for the growing homeless population. In the meantime, Ireland has seen workers in the voluntary sector threaten strike action and the country’s…

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