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CHRISTMAS 2014 AND 2015 couldn’t have been more different for Nicole and Derek.
The couple had been homeless for six years before getting the keys to their own apartment in December.
“Last year me and Derek actually woke up in a tent in Fairview Park (on Christmas Day 2014). We were sleeping there, we had nowhere to stay, there were no hostels, they gave us a sleeping bag.
This Christmas we were able to spend it together in a nice home in a nice environment, out of the cold, so it was lovely – really, really nice. I hugged Derek straight away. We were like kids.
Nicole and Derek are two of the residents in Sophia’s new apartment block on Seán McDermott Street Lower in Dublin city centre.
The housing units are now home to several people who had been homeless due to a complex range of issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health issues.
Nicole (23) says she is doing “great” after a difficult few years.
I have all the support here. I have key workers, loads of people to help me. Whereas before I didn’t know where to go.
Despite welcoming the Housing Minister Simon Coveney into their new home, Nicole says she is still angry with the government.
I still feel like nothing’s been happening. I look at it on the telly, I read the papers every day. I could have been still one of those people [still on the streets]. I’m very lucky I got this place.
She still meets some of her friends who are homeless, noting: “I feel so sorry for them.”
Derek is now doing a course and says having structure has helped him turn his life around.
“Things are grand now, compared to the way they were. Now things are great.”
When they heard they were getting their own place, he says they were overwhelmed by a “feeling of joy”.
Jonathan, another service user, thanked Sophia’s employees for their “terrific” work and support.
I didn’t think we’d get into Sophia because of my past but they looked past that and welcomed us with open arms. We were delighted, over the moon. I couldn’t believe my luck – 11 years of being homeless and Sophia housing reward us with a beautiful, very spacious apartment. Since I’ve moved in I’ve put on three-and-a-half stone and got a bit of colour back into my face and I’m not feeling tired anymore.
Coveney was there to officially open the apartment block.
Speaking at the launch, Sophia founder Sr Jean Quinn told him: “Minister, I could stand here and eloquently tell you the statistics on homelessness but I believe at this stage you are well convinced of the urgency and need for housing for all tho who find them homeless.”
She said Sophia’s model leads to sustainable results due to the support system residents have access to.
Coveney noted that, while doing an interview outside the building, two people “in pretty blunt language, said to me the government need to do more for homeless people, and they’re right – we do”.
TheJournal Politics / TwitterMinister Simon Coveney and Lord Mayor Críona Ní Dhálaigh plant a tree at Sophia housing units on Seán McDermott St. pic.twitter.com/200jS5Kx27
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) June 22, 2016
He said the housing-first approach used by the charity is one he wants to replicate, stating: “It is really a template for what we need to provide.”
‘Talk is cheap’
Speaking about the government’s new housing and homelessness strategy, due to be launched next month, Coveney said: “The only thing I’m interested in, to be perfectly honest with you, is better outcomes.
To be honest with you, talk is cheap. My job is to try and deliver for you. I can’t do everything immediately, and people will have to show some patience in terms of the journey that we need to progress now.
Coveney said results are needed this year and next, not four or five years down the line.
The Sophia project on Seán McDermott Street Lower was funded by the Capital Assistance Scheme from the then Department of Housing and Local Government and in partnership with Dublin City Council.
The existing building was refurbished from 36 single-bed accommodation units into 18 self-contained, one-bedroom apartments for single people and couples requiring intensive support to live independently.
The charity provides 262 units of accommodation to 314 people, including 112 children, and supports 35 people in their own homes at its projects in Dublin city and county, (Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown, south Dublin and Fingal), Cork city, Limerick (regeneration), Sligo (Tubbercurry) and Wicklow (Greystones), and provides outreach support services to many others.
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“We were like kids” they look like kids.
Nobody gave me keys to my own home at 23. Bought with mortgage at 30. Will have paid off at 65.
I wonder where there parents are and those that went before them. I’ve seen it for generations the same mentality “get on the housing list”. I grew up with nothing but my father worked two jobs to ensure I didn’t ever go on a housing list. He taught me to work to get a mortgage. I started at 14 in a pottery shop earning 50 pound. I’m 33 now and got my own mortgage. When these two have kids will they teach them what I was taught??? No!!! Want want want and when their 3 kids have 3 more kids where will we be then I’m a much worse situation than we are in.
I bet you don’t live in the city centre either. Disgraceful that they are put in the city centre when ordinary working people have to commute for hours from houses they bought in order to get to the city centre because they live where they can afford.
@Vincent you weren’t in a tent on Christmas day last year either, also when you pay off your mortgage at age 65 you will then own your own home, at 65 if these people are still living here they are they will still be paying rent! Of course ideally this is a stepping stone for them to improve their lives furthermore and perhaps some day to get a mortgage and live elsewhere!
Hopefully your right and they don’t have 6 kids they can’t afford after their celebration Hug.
They now have a base. Get sorted, get a job, have kid or 2 in few years, get married (so non of this single mothers benefit) and prosper, teach their kids to work, respect and be of value to their society and community. Give back.
Lets not demonize the homeless for the lack of affordable housing which has been de facto government policy for 30+ years as it allows landlords, developers, speculators and the banks etc to profiteer on the backs of ordinary people. It’s very simple. There is a scarcity of affordable housing because the elite get rich as a result.
The homeless epidemic is the result of the neo liberal pro market ideology peddled by Coveney and his kind but they’re always ready to jump on the photo opportunity when a sticking plaster is applied to the gaping wounds which they inflict on society.
Large numbers of people are homeless, crushed under extortionate rents or buried under mortgage debt because a small number of people get very very rich from this state of affairs. This is naked capitalism in in all of its ugly glory.
The housing crisis is caused by a lack of affordable houses and the unemployment crisis is caused very simply by a lack of decent jobs. During the last decade, the unemployment rate hovered around 4% for the 8 years before the crash in 2008. This means that 96% of people, a huge majority will work when there is work available. This leaves only 4% unemployed and only a tiny fraction, 0.25% were long term unemployed for over 12 months. 96% employment is considered to be full employment in practical terms for a modern capitalist economy. It doesn’t get any higher.
Capital benefits from keeping both housing and jobs in scarce supply. It’s deliberate policy. Don’t fall into their divide and conquer trap.
Wally. How about people get of their ass and build a career. Nobody starts off on €50k a year and I see no reason why young people like this who are very capable of working cannot pay to rent a room on a minimum wage income. Stop making excuses for people who don’t want to help themselves
@Cosmo
Worse, still, they almost always get it.
We spend 22 BILLION euros of taxpayer’s money each year on welfare, benefits and social protection.
Labour have hailed that as a “great success”.
We’re drowning in handouts.
It’s a great country.
Vincent, I hope those 35 years are trouble free for you and you never need some type of support. I took out a 35 year mortgage nearly 10 years ago too but much has changed since then. https://forbetterorbankrupt.wordpress.com/category/home-repossession/
O Connmhaigh,
The bankers are drowning in our handouts. And you want to abolish the state pension, disability benefits etc so that we can afford to pay off this banker debt ?
Should we also look at maybe selling off the children of the poor and unemployed to the highest international bidders while we’re at it?
These single mothers wouldn’t have any children if it weren’t for a man, I don’t see you attacking the men for fathering these kids?
@lisa s – The Fathers should be paying maintenance & the Mothers should chase them for it.
@Mathew actually less than 1 year in I was out of work. Was self employed in construction industry. Had been self employed since left collage at 23 paying taxes. I went to social welfare to see if I could get any help, I got €20 a week and told I was lucky to get that.
I was lucky to get full time employment after 3 months (and lucky to have help from family).
Don’t need to state the self employed are treated like dirt as I think everyone knows.
Suppose at 23 instead of becoming self employed I could have gone on dole but alas that was not even a consideration for me.
I fully support people whom have given to society and are on hard times. But you have to contribute before you are “entitled”.
Irish people would begrudge anyone of anything. Seriously. Lighten the fück up.
Fair play to them getting there own place at 23 now I hope they never have to work again like they did during transition year for 2 weeks, why should they work and share a room like other people have to do at 23. Great Country if you’re rich or have no intention of ever working
When I was their age I had to get a room in a house with 4 other professionals in order to have some life and quarter the bills. God for bid these poor souls got through the same thing.
The capitalist system is preserved in large part by keeping the working class divided and fighting over the scraps so that we never look up and see who the real enemy is dining royally at our expense. They set us at each others throats under a variety of guises including religion, nationality, gender, race, working vs unemployed, public vs private sector, etc etc etc as they understand perfectly that a united working class means the end of their domination.
Its the don’t want to work class people have issue with not the working class.
Why are these units in the city centre when the land could be used for housing for people who work in the city. This would alleviate demand and help house prices. Social housing in a city centre is ridiculous.
ah the auld, ‘Whats in it for me’? , in disguise of course ….
Keith. Get off your high horse.
Wish I could afford a city centre apartment in Dublin. It would give me access to a lot of Dublin based work and study opportunities.
He makes a good point though, these apartments could have been built in a suburb along a bus route for a lot less, why are we not trying to save money as much as possible when it comes to social housing?
These weren’t just built as social housing though, they were repurposed, and probably owned by the church, as Sophia is a church-affiliated charity
@Chris even more appropriate for the charity to sell these properties to workers and use the proceeds to build even more social housing units outside the city centre. Somewhere with good transport links to education services etc.
Good for them now hopefully they will go out and get whatever job they can get and repay some of that generosity. Some how I doubt they will.
Doubt it also, but at leased he is doing a course. I’m happy for them not been homeless anymore and getting there lives back together but I am kinda pissed off that I pay for this with massive tax on my pay and yet I can’t get anywhere to rent and or mortgage to buy my own place.
When are the government going to start looking after the people paying for all this?
Exactly the working class arnt looked after anymore. I think if you have enough stamps you should be on the housing list anyone earning under the average industrial wage. If you have never worked then tough s**t paddy.
OnTheOutside… in all fairness, the massive tax on your pay is not really paying for this. This is paid for with what’s left after your massive taxes pay some of the highest salaries in the world for politicians, without even mentioning their “expenses”. The government are not going to start looking after anybody they’re not under intense pressure to look after. On the contrary, they can and do attack anybody they can get away with attacking.
Nicola and Derek are not the problem.
Check your facts. Budget for social protection is in its billions. Paid for by tax payers majority out of paye before you spout you pay tax on your Bennies and Hedges…
Are you talking to me, Vincent? Do you think your PAYE is putting food on my table? Is that why you think you can talk down to me?
I am from Co. Cavan. I am 29 have been on social welfare for the past 3 years. I moved back into my mothers as i feel rent allowance should only be used in emergencies. I have done courses, Job Bridge and now will most likely be sweeping the streets for an extra 20 quid on the dole. I am looking for work but I am limited as there is absolutely nothing where I am. I currently have a few interviews lined up in Dublin. It will mean I will have to get the 6:30 bus to Dublin, Then a train or bus out to the suburbs, just scraping to be in on time and then have to do it all over again on they way home to arrive at home by 9 if I am lucky. If I have to stay late or get delayed it will be a 10er a night hostel….
Car insurance and high rents mean the two easiest options available mean it will be 2+ years of these long days before I can drive in or move nearer.
These scroungers who will never work and are taking up spaces, that those of us in rural Ireland who would love to contribute to society but cant as Dublin is the only place that their is any signs of recovery. Why not move these people to the country and free up these units for those of us who want to work, pay full rent without a 6 hour commute every day.
Well said phil. I no two people in my area who went on the local radio to say they were homeless and where sleeping in their car. They camped outside the housing office on the advice of a local councillor. The women in question had a room in her parents house but got her parents to say they wanted her out in order to get a house for the boyfriend and her. They got one no doubt!
If I actually thought id get away with it I would name the local councillor who told them what to do.
Life is all about good and bad experience
Life is all about good and bad experience. It was all good and lovely when i met jully, she was a good business woman until things become rough for her and her business empire started liquidating. I was a very courageous and hardworking man so i decided to sell my inheritance to assist . We both struggle together and built the business world again. This time around the business was growing from strength to strength. I was surprise one Sunday evening when she came home with her secretary and told me that we cannot continue with this pretense called love. I was shocked and heart broken, i was in a friend, house for three weeks frustrated until i met fernando my old friend at the supermarket, he directed to me to Dr saka. I contacted saka and he told me that Jully was been manipulated by some spiritual power and he told me to provide some items which he is going to use to destroy the evil spirit. I never believe in voodoo but i had to give him a trial. To my greatest surprise, Jully called and started apologizing 2 days after i sent Dr. Saka the email. I am very happy and will continue to be happy for the good work the Saka has done in my life. Problems are been solved when good people like Saka are on this planet, please contact him through ultimatespearcast@gmail.com if you need any support in any problems in life. I love Dr Saka … :)
Yep, f*ck this lark of getting up at 7am to go to work in order to provide a home for your children when you can get it for next to nil. Enda will provide. This scenario breeds resentment in my opinion , and rightly so.
You are aware they pay rent aren’t you?
Pay rent out of what?? Neither of them are working.
If income is €30,000 pa into household rent is €375 per month.
If €20,000 then €250pm.
I don’t live in Dublin but am sure you can’t rent a shed for that amount.
You are aware that the taxpayer pays their rent aren’t you?
Tomscull is very correct about this breeding resentment. I work 45 hours a week on minimum wage to pay for a studio flat further away from the city centre than these lovely new homes. There’s no chance in hell I could afford a one bedroom apartment in such an amazing location.
The rich get richer
The poor get handouts
The middle man foots the bill
All of 28 euro a week rent that is 14 euro each, not bad at all for a place in town;)
Is that mam and dad in the kitchen…There obviously sound..They let them sleep in a tent on Christmas eve…nice
Shame on their parents , families and friends for allowing to sleep in a tent and not help them .
Absolutely disgusting that they are housed in the city centre. Apartments that workers would love to own but can’t afford. Absolutely no distinction made between people who lose their jobs and the entitlement brigade who want everything for free. The only place these people should be housed for free is vacant apartments outside city centres. Food stamps and the absolute bare minimum. Their kids will still go to school and will still have a chance. The parents can sod off, nothing but wasters milking the system.
Sorry but at 23 these two were not homeless in the true sense of the word . They moved out of their parents house and declared themselves homeless in order to get their own place .. and it worked .. tent my ar$e !
A suggestion: think of this as an upfront investment in these people by our country. In return, you need to be employed within a month or on a training course within a month (leading to full employment), if substance abuse was a leading factor in being homeless then mandatory rehab attendance and drug testing required. If these conditions are broken then give the house to someone who will repay the favour and contribute tax dollars.
Do you know what? I have a pain in my hoop with spongers. Fully furnished apartment in the city centre for token rent as a reward for being a lazy, good for nothing drain on taxes. Oh he’s doing a course. And then he’ll do another course. And another one. So he can keep his dole. Won’t be long now till she pops out a few kids for the taxpayer to fund as well. We are sending out the wrong message here – laziness gets you everything because there’ll always be eejits working to pay for your lifestyle. Sick of it!
I must admit that Simon Coveney isn’t as bad as the rest of the Blueshirts.
Yeah sure he has those international friends in the bilderberg group. Great bunch of lads!!
I’d be the first to stick the boot in but it does seem as if he is getting things done, I won’t be singing his praises just yet though as there is still a lot of work to be done.
I wouldn’t go that far. He’s in favor of TTIP and wants to privatize our water.
Figures this morning released says homeless children is up by one third. And now stands at 2100 + children are homeless. Whatever he is doing its not enough. No child or family should be homeless
More and more people will be declaring themselves homeless if there are decent enough houses available in the right locations.
How nice a free house for them. Anyways sorry have to go. Need to get back to work to pay for their free house.
I would hate to be homeless genuinely couldn’t think of anything worse but even in a perfect world there will be people who just cannot be helped. I think it said that young fella was homeless for 12 years???? There is work, free education, free everything in this country – if you can’t make a go of it here then I don’t see what throwing extra money at it is going to achieve long term. I hope those apartments are kept shining clean & that council workers are spending time maintaining it – somehow I doubt it as the entitlement mentality still breeds.
Time for them to have a load of kids now for the allowance and maybe a 4 bed home on us!
Its NOT a tree that needs planting Mr Coveney!!!!!
There are a lot of families with children homeless why are these not been housed first before couples without children
Simple really, you can’t keep people with kids on the list above everyone else as they would never get housed. They had to change the rules as single men in particular were never been housed. There were situations where a young single mum living with her parents could get a house before a man in his 70s living on the street
paying ur own way is the most rewarding way the more your given for nothing(over 18) the less you appreciate what u have .
I work for a company thats involved with the homeless and if you all knew the true facts about the homeless/housing crisis you would be horrified to wants going on behind closed doors……..on a daily average there is 12/16 families been evicted daily……I’ve seen this evidence and its happening a cross all claases of families and believe this or not alot off foreign families that are evicted been giving the option of going back to there home country.
…and giving a couple in their early 20′s who are both unemployed and with no kids an apartment in a prime location in the city center with a token rent on it is going to address that how?
I suspect the money for this project was approved three to four years ago before the latest homelessness crisis really kicked in. At that time the majority of homeless people were single men, even couples were unusual. That’s how long it takes to sort anything out in this country.
Who are you to judge, it’s a brave person to sit behind a screen and hurl abuse at stranger. You would rather see people sleeping rough than seeing them offered a fresh start. Only with support, understanding and care are people able to achieve their goals.
It is great to see a young couple taking steps to make positive changes in their life and with the courage to share their story with us. Hope and love for the future.
I’ll take this piece at face value and wish Nicole and Derek the best of luck in the future with there new home.
I say the neighbours are pissed off. Will you look after it if you haven’t earned it ? lets drop back in on these in a year.
Gimme a house
Look, I pay the guts of a grand to live in a hovel, but that’s the private rental sector for ya. Sure this apartment is far nicer than mine, but I won’t begrudge this couple the help they are getting. Now that they have some stability in their lives, I hope they get some education and a job so that one day they will be completely self sufficient.
These negative comments make me sick. Even if this couple were told by their family members to go homeless, as someone here suggested. Then they are a product of our society, we have to shoulder the blame, for a society which encourages parents to push their kids out onto the streets in order for them to have a home. Have you considered the possible mental health difficulties such a family must suffer in order to watch their children sleep rough, abuse drugs and put their future at a standstill for a home? Because sleeping on the streets is no holiday camp, just in case you were under some illusion!
Your views here are far to simplistic, if only life were so black and white.
I commend these couples for if nothing else finally giving us a good news story from Dublin 1. Let’s hope for many more
And now a photo op with Covney?
Great address
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