Emergency accommodation for homeless people
Joan Collins sought confirmation that promised accommodation would be provided before Christmas; the Tánaiste said the Government’s strategy, including night cafés, transport and new beds, was being implemented.
I, too, wish everyone working in the Houses of the Oireachtas a peaceful festive break. We can all go home, close our doors and have a nice Christmas dinner. Last week the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, introduced a housing strategy commitment that people living on the street would be given secure accommodation before 25 December. I asked that 45 minutes be put aside this week for a report on this to the House. Can the Tánaiste or the Minister confirm that these beds will be provided and where they will be provided? Last week Focus Ireland supplied 30 beds but that leaves a need for around 160.
Comment on this
The plan brought before the House by the Minister, Deputy Kelly, included very good innovations like the night café, which guarantees that people living on the street can get tea, coffee, soup and other food. All of this is proceeding, as is the night bus to bring people to shelters with beds. A certain amount of accommodation has become available and I saw yesterday that the Archbishop of Dublin has opened new accommodation under the auspices of Crosscare. The details of the strategy were set out in the Minister's statement and a great deal of this is underway. I hope the strategy can help everyone sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin.
I lived in the city centre for a long time and I know that people in these circumstances can face very complex problems. Notwithstanding the best efforts of families, some people do not want to be with a large number of other people. I want the message to go out that beds are available if people want them but, for complex reasons, some people do not want to be with other people and we must respect this. I hope this is how ancillary facilities, like the night café, may be helpful to some people.
I commend the many people I know who have donated money and volunteered their time, concern and care for people sleeping rough. We would all like to see an end to homelessness in Dublin and a reduction in the drugs problem in Ireland in 2015 and 2016. Drugs are often, unfortunately, a major factor in homelessness.