The campaign will see Iarnród Éireann support the charity in a number of ways including proving an innovative online option for the tens of thousands people a week buying a rail ticket to donate €2 to Focus Ireland.

Iarnród Éireann will also provide free advertising at stations nationwide for Focus Ireland along with allowing Christmas choirs to fundraise for the charity at a number of stations nationwide.

The partnership was launched in Heuston station today November 27 by the CÓRus choir who brought a bit of early festive cheer to commuters.

The members of CÓRus choir performed under a new Focus Ireland poster in the station which states the shocking fact that “One Family Becomes Homeless Every 8 Hours in Ireand.”

Focus Ireland Fundraising Co-Director Rachel Murphy said:

“As over one million people a week head home on the train from a regular day at work or from shopping, they are making a journey home.  This is something which is not possible for everyone across Ireland. Focus Ireland, with the backing of Iarnród Éireann, are committed to changing this.”

She added:

“There are now nearly 10,000 people homeless and it is truly heart breaking to see that almost 4,000 of these are children. We must always remember that behind these shocking statistics are real people that need our help to secure a place to call home.”

This is the second year of Iarnród Éireann’s partnership with Focus Ireland and it comes as there are now a record total total of 9,698 people homeless in Ireland.   With Christmas Day just four weeks away from today, it is worth noting that a shocking 3,829 children are homeless, that is a shocking rise of 705 children in just 12 months from September 2017- September  2018, a rise of 23%.*

Iarnród Éireann Corporate Communications Manager Barry Kenny said:

“We are committed to getting our customers home this Christmas, but with 9,698 people homeless across Ireland we know there are men, women and children who will not have a home for Christmas.

Barry Kenny added:

“Focus Ireland prevent people from falling into homelessness, and help those impacted. We are delighted to help Focus Ireland and its customers. Focus Ireland manages to secure a home for one family every day but sadly that same day two to three more families – and other individuals – become homeless. Iarnród Éireann is proud to be supporting Focus Ireland’s work and we hope this campaign will help the charity’s work to support more families to make the journey home.”

This #homeforchristmas initiative will raise vital funds to help in the successful delivery of frontline services, and help to build further public awareness on this issue and support for the work of Focus Ireland.  During December, choirs, musicians and volunteers will be in Dublin Heuston, Dublin Connolly and Dublin Pearse Stations to raise funds and awareness and we are asking if commuters have any spare change while passing through that they donate this.

Iarnród Éireann is generously providing Focus Ireland with:

• Advertising on DART’s, in train stations across the country via Iarnród Éireann directly and their outdoor advertising contractor Exterion Media Ireland.
• Advertisements on television screens in Connolly, Heuston, Pearse St and Bus Aras.
• Support through the Go Rail Publication, Iarnród Éireann website and social media.
• A donation option on irishrail.ie for ticket purchases
• Free tickets for families who are homeless on the Santa Steam train via Railway Preservation Society of Ireland – click here
• As part of this support, Focus Ireland choirs and bucket shakers will be on hand in stations, and branded wristbands will also be sold in stations across Ireland

Please go to https://mydonation.focusireland.ie/donate/~my-donation and make a difference.

Let’s get people #homeforchristmas

* N.B. These numbers do not include those children in the families that the Minister has directed local authorities to exclude from the official numbers.