Homeless rough sleepers plan
Joan Collins asked whether emergency arrangements were in place for rough sleepers ahead of freezing weather. The Housing Minister said cold weather teams had been activated and that additional outreach was being organised, with accommodation available for those who needed it.
According to the weather forecast temperatures will drop to between 0oC and -3oC over the next two days and snow and freezing conditions are also possible. Has the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, engaged with homeless agencies and the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive on a national contingency plan to get rough sleepers off the streets and is there sufficient accommodation available for them?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for her question. In short, yes, I have. I received a warning over the weekend about the cold weather snap that is approaching, off the back of which I engaged, through the national directorate for fire and emergency management of my Department, with local authorities regarding initiation of their cold weather teams. There is a place for everyone who needs one. Additional outreach teams will be working to encourage people into accommodation in anticipation of the cold weather snap that is expected over the coming nights.