Fr. Peter McVerry, the founder of the Peter McVerry Trust, delivered a seminar at the University of Limerick to a capacity audience of faculty, staff and students this week. His seminar focused on the failure of the state to respond to youth homelessness. Fr. McVerry noted that in 2015 six people become homeless in Dublin each day. Fr. McVerry stated that for the first time, since the Famine, entire families are being forced to sleep rough on the streets of our capital city and he stressed that given the complexities involved in becoming homeless, it is essential that we understand the wider processes which determine whether young people become homeless or not.
Co-Organiser of the seminar Dr. Eoin Devereux, Assistant Dean of Research in the Faculty of AHSS, said “We are delighted to welcome Fr. McVerry to University of Limerick. For over thirty years Peter has been a fearless social justice advocate who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the homeless and poor.”
The seminar was one of a series organised for students of the MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration) at UL. Course Director Dr. Martin J. Power of the Department of Sociology explained that the series are intended for the course’s students but are also open to the general public. Over the last five weeks students have heard presentations from international, Irish and local practitioners in the fields of youth work, community and urban regeneration.
By Sheena Doyle
Molly Cantwell 
Daragh De Klein