Did anybody ever tell DePaul the housing charity that charity begins at home? No, there is no record of anyone publicly telling DePaul that “charity begins at home” in media coverage or official statements. DePaul has allocated 70% of its housing allocation to former IPAS residents. Meanwhile Irish people are waiting years on housing lists, living in cars, couch surfing, or on the street, while DePaul gives 70% of housing to migrants. DePaul is not only not prioritizing Irish people first, despite being an Irish homeless charity, they are in fact blatantly discriminating against Irish people. DePaul is not just failing Irish people who need housing, instead of helping them first. They are actively discriminating against them as their own figures show.
Who are DePaul
DePaul is an Irish homeless charity that was established in Dublin in 2002. They provide services across Ireland and Northern Ireland, supporting over 3,500 people annually. But their 70% allocation to former IPAS residents contradicts the “charity begins at home” principle. So, while no one has officially said it in those words, the criticism is exactly that: DePaul should be helping Irish people first, not allocating 70% of housing to migrants. Their staff recruitment drive says “Thrive in a mission-driven environment at DePaul Ireland, advocating for the marginalised and empowering those at risk of homelessness to rebuild their lives.” Apparently marginalised Irish people don’t count. They are probably classified as “white privileged” by the DePaul ‘woke’ narrative.
An Approved Housing Body
DePaul is involved in housing because DePaul Housing is a subsidiary of DePaul Ireland and is an Approved Housing Body (AHB) in Ireland. DePaul Housing was set up to source move-on accommodation for people using DePaul’s homeless services. It was established in 2021 as an Approved Housing Body, working with partners like Tuath Housing. DePaul Ireland already managed over 43 accommodation and outreach services for homeless people across Ireland before creating DePaul Housing.
What they actually do
DePaul provides long-term accommodation for chronically homeless people. Through DePaul Housing, they provide housing solutions for people moving away from homelessness, including for former IPAS residents. They manage 400+ bed spaces per night across the island and support over 10,000 people annually through accommodation and community services.
They blatantly ignore the needs of Irish people and discriminate in favour of IPAS migrants with no stake in this country unlike their Irish counterparts who should be prioritized for housing in their own country.
Why they have housing stock
Approved Housing Bodies are registered providers that get social housing properties from local authorities and manage them because Irelands local authorities have given up their traditional role in providing and allocating housing on a long established and relatively fair basis. As an AHB, DePaul Housing can receive public housing properties and dictatorially allocate them to who they classify as eligible tenants preferably if they are not Irish no matter how pressing their needs are. They blatantly prioritize former IPAS residents over other homeless people. Despite their blatant discrimination with no government oversight DePaul remain an Approved Housing Body to provide housing for homeless people, preferably former IPAS residents.
DePaul is Discriminating against Irish People
While DePaul claims to allocate housing on a “like for like” basis, the reality is that they are allocating 70% of their housing to former IPAS residents. This is blatant anti Irish discrimination. What ever happened the principle of ‘charity begins at home?’ They seem to be allocating housing on a “lie for lie” basis rather than a “like for like” basis. DePaul publicly says former IPAS residents with leave to remain should access housing on the same basis as other homeless people on their much vaunted “like for like” basis. But the data shows 70% of people housed by DePaul in 2024 were former IPAS residents. That is not “like for like.” It is preferential allocation—70% to one group, leaving the rest for long-waiting Irish applicants.
Why it’s a Lie
“Like for like” means equal treatment, not 70% of units going to one category. By giving 70% of housing to former IPAS residents, DePaul is treating them better than Irish people waiting years, not the same. The 70% number is the proof that the slogan doesn’t match reality and DePaul keeps on discriminating against Irish people with pressing housing needs and blatantly lying about it. DePaul’s stated reason is equality for former IPAS residents with status, but the actual outcome is a standing bias in favour of migrants over Irish people on housing lists.
