The End of Homelessness through Policies and Implementations : Case Studies of Finland and Ireland

Abstract

The objectives of this research are 1) To study the homelessness situation in Finland and Ireland 2) To describe what methods Finland and Ireland take into action to reduce homelessness 3) To compare the performance of Finland and Ireland, by collecting data from the documents, government’s reports, annual reports, and related research—focusing on public policies, strategies and implementations of both Finland and Ireland from 2018 to 2021, by using thematic analysis method to analyze the date. The results of the research can divide into three topics. First, the number of homelessness in Finland and Ireland reduced satisfactorily, especially in Ireland from 2020 onwards. Second, both Ireland and Finland applied the “providing, delivering and controlling the prices of housing” concept as primary methods to end homelessness. The third, albeit both countries applied the same concept of plans and strategies, however in terms of ideas and policies are different. Since Finland’s state welfare regime is Social Democratic Welfare Regime and adopted housing first as their principle to end homelessness. Meanwhile, Ireland’s state welfare regime is the Liberal Welfare Regime, which is less intense in terms of “citizens insurance”, albeit Ireland also adopted housing. However, Ireland created their strategy called “Rebuilding Ireland” and applied it as the main principle.