merrion street

The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government Mr. Simon Coveney,T.D., today (9  December, 2016) welcomed the opening of two homeless facilities for rough sleepers in Dublin this evening. A total of 165 additional beds  are being provided.

The Dublin City Council facilities that are opening this evening are;

Peter Mc Verry Trust (PMVT) will provide all on-site supports and engagement for 70 adult persons at 7-9 Ellis Quay, Dublin 7.

Depaul Trust will provide all on-site supports and engagement for 75 adult persons at Little Britain Street, Dublin 7.

The Civil Defence service will operate a 20 bed service at Wolfe Tone Quay during severe weather incidents

A further facility to be operated by the Dublin Simon and Salvation Army for 65 adults at Carman’s Hall, Dublin 8  which was also due to open today is delayed by court proceedings.

Once a person has been assessed as homeless by the relevant Dublin local authority, they will be placed into a bed space via the Dublin Region Central Placement Service and Freephone Service. Access to each facility will be via a scheduled booking time between the hours of 1830 and 2100 each evening.

“On Wednesday I visited the facility at Ellis Quay with the Taoiseach  to view the works underway there first-hand and I wish to commend the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) for the quick turn-around in delivering these facilities. Rough sleeping is sometimes  due  to  complex  addiction problems  and these facilities offer somewhere to these  people to sleep and  get a meal.  The long term solution to homelessness is to increase the supply of both social and private housing and that is what we have set out to do under Rebuilding Ireland.

“These additional bed spaces, coupled with the enhanced housing first programme (increased from 100 to 300 tenancies by end-2017), will be enough to cater for all those currently rough sleeping while allowing for additional capacity,” ended Minister Coveney.