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AN AUDIT OF homelessness in Dublin on the night of 7 November found 184 people sleeping rough.
That figure represents the highest on record since the official count began in 2007. It is also double the figure seen during the winter of 2015.
The Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) reported the figure today at the launch of its Cold Weather Strategy.
It said it is now in the process of providing an extra 200 permanent emergency beds in the capital.
“All of these beds will be brought into use over the coming weeks and all will be in place by 18 December,” it said in a statement.
The Peter McVerry Trust, responding to the record number, called for a greater response to the needs of single people.
“The figure of 184 is very disappointing and it’s clearly not acceptable,” chief executive Pat Doyle said.
The figure show a rise of 42 on last year’s winter rough sleeper count. The count is carried out twice yearly across the four Dublin local authorities – in November and spring.
The infographic on the DRHE website for the latest spring count found 161 people sleeping rough in Dublin. However, this number differs from a figure of 138 that was given and reported on – including in TheJournal.ie - at the time.
A spokesperson confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the infographic was in error and that the number of recorded rough sleepers being used is 138.
The additional number came from a “unique group” of 23 non-nationals who were found sleeping rough and were being repatriated at the time.
The infographic has since been amended to reflect this:
October figures
Figures have also been released today on the number of homeless people and families staying in state-funded emergency accommodation in October.
In total, there were 5,298 adults and 3,194 children staying in emergency accommodation during a single week in the month.
This marks a rise of 48 adults and 70 children on September.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said that the number of families in commercial hotels and B&Bs in Dublin was now at 676 (down from 690 in September).
Commenting on the figures, Murphy said that Ireland “continued to face a crisis in homelessness” but that “the situation is beginning to look like it’s stabilising in Ireland”.
“We continue to face a crisis in homelessness,” he said.
“However the situation is beginning to look like it is stabilising in Dublin, which is where our homeless problem has been most severe.
The numbers continue to increase outside of Dublin however and so we must take the actions that have arrested the increase in Dublin and apply them elsewhere.
Director of advocacy Mike Allen said that the charity welcomes the additional new beds that are being opened, but said that they showed that government was “constantly reacting to the problem rather than taking more immediate action to solve it”.
“It is really disappointing that despite the fact that the Government is talking about Housing First is the solution to rough sleeping while all the time opening more and more emergency beds,” he said.
CEO of the Dublin Simon Community Sam McGuinness said that the figures were “concerning and disappointing”.
“However we welcome the Ministers’ announcement of an extra 200 permanent emergency beds in the capital to address the demand,” he said.
Depaul CEO Kerry Anthony said that the figures were “extremely worrying”.
“Homelessness is a complex issue and needs a consistent, holistic approach,” she said.
While these Rough Sleeper figures are cause for concern, it is essential that we remain committed to Rebuilding Ireland and that policy makers take heed of the recommendations of voluntary organisations like Depaul in order to make progress.
Cold Weather Strategy
The DRHE also launched its Cold Weather Strategy today for increasing supports for homeless people during the winter period.
As well as the announcement of 200 additional beds, it said there would be enhanced service operations throughout the cold weather period.
These include additional emergency responses for any families that find themselves homeless; increased staffing for housing intakes and outreach teams; and agreements with service providers that additional temporary shelter can be brought into use across a range of existing services and facilities.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
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Permanently deleted my FB account last November and it was the best thing I did. I felt it was a complete waste of my time and was becoming more and more of a negative place. Now it’s great when I meet people cause I don’t know everything about them and makes for great conversation.
@Nollaig Elliot: The alternative is to be friends on FB with your actual friends! As opposed to the 500 or so that you had!
@James Mahon: Very true James, it got out of hand though. I traveled a fair bit over the years and it was convenient. However, after I finished a big trip last year it was always my plan to pull the plug then.
@James Mahon: Totally agree. Did a big cull of my FB “friends ” recently and it’s great.
Think it’s a good place for joining groups that have similar interests etc.
@Nollaig Elliot: I find it very useful to follow interests of mine, get notified of events I might be interested in and get access to news which might otherwise not cross my path.
I do know of people who use it to post a lot of what I would consider useless information but that’s their choice and I can easily avoid that if I want!
Bottom line is it’s a communication tool and how you use it is up to you.
@Nollaig Elliot: I did something similar, last november it was so bad, i have under 20 US facebook friends yet all their posts were saturating my timeline so i turned off all post notifications and have opened the app about 4 times since then to reply to some things that are commented on in my posts taken from twitter and youtube, i use facebook messenger frequently and because that’s a separate app i don’t have to worry about seeing stupid posts from people anymore.
About as arbitrary as The Journals rules so…
I’d love to see the Guardian’s moderation policy.
‘If you’re not of liberal persuasion do not enter this site’
In most cases trolls are ridiculed and put down by decent people on forums such as Facebook. A self censoring mechanism that we have in society already. The problem like they have now in Germany is that when governments get involved they usually infringe on free speech. A slippery slope indeed.
Suckerburg and his cronies support hate speech. That is a fact.
Deleted Facebook yesterday.Best thing EVER!!!!but I’ve nowhere to post or tell people so il post it here on a Facebook article
@The Magnificent Hog: It is not a personal thing, it just makes money.
Facebook is a private commercial entity they can do as they please. It’s a very successful business model that works. Some people have the mind set that it’s a public service.
@Baz Breen: No commercial entity can do as they please all are bound by the laws of each and every country they operate in. Facebooks private policy etc etc is irrelevant if it violates the law, or a persons human right, which is why they are so careful as indeed is the Journal no one is exempt,
Animal abuse is ok by facebook. you know what to do facebook users – delete ur account.
The guardian reported this earlier this morning, breaking news from the journal
@Jonny:
The article mentions the fact that the Guardian published this yesterday.
This one’s an exclusive for people who only read the Journal.
Off topic but Edward Snowden said that if you want privacy then you need to throw away all your devices and start living in a cave.
Delete your Facebook and stop shoving those screens into your babies faces
@The Grand O’Malley: there are techniques to maintaining privacy on Facebook and not just through privacy settings.
Perhaps the Journal could be just as clear in explaining why it bans people…???
There is life and there is Facebook.
Be careful what you say on facebook. I got a three day ban on facebook for calling someone an idiot. Plenty of snowflakes on facebook. Facebook is getting pathetic each day
@Just Some Guy: I feel your pain. Not being able call peole “idiots” is such an impairment of freedom of expression. Calling people “idiots” helps them to accept their errors. It is a highly effective and persuasive technique and develops a point very nicely.
@Tony Daly: Very true, I’ve also had posts deleted because someone with a delicate disposition found them offensive. Whips & chains I could understand, maybe even blood and guts, but mention anything about a certain Middle Eastern religion and certain people loose their collective minds… Incidentally I didn’t say a word.
The main issue with Facebook and its content is who views it. Pictures of difficult or upsetting themes are good as they are thought provoking . The issue is too many children lie about their age and view images not suitable for them
i got banned 3 times fro speaking the truth about certain people
have your say