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Leah Farrell via Rolling News

Concerns raised for homeless population amid warnings of 'exceptionally' high temperatures next week

Major worries for rough sleepers include sunburn, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

THE GOVERNMENT AND homelessness organisations have expressed concerns for the welfare of the homeless population following predictions that temperatures will reach up to 32 degrees next week. 

A Status Yellow high temperature warning beginning on Sunday was issued by Met Éireann today, with the national meteorological service forecasting “exceptionally” high day-time temperatures of 25 to 30 degrees.  

The Department for Housing issued a statement to leading regional homelessness bodies yesterday offering guidance on how best to support the homeless in the coming days.

Head of Homeless Services for COPE Galway Sinéad Carey told The Journal that her organisation has raised concern for rough sleepers  and vulnerable clients availing of their day centres.

She said: “Hot weather is often a source of further stress for people who are experiencing the trauma of homelessness. Rough sleepers are at risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke… and severe sunburn.

“While experiencing housing insecurity and threats to personal safety, it is extremely difficult to be in the headspace where planning ahead is possible.

“Access to supplies needed is a challenge,” she said, adding that swollen limbs and heat associated pain are other common complaints.

Carey said that the COPE Galway street outreach team will be out on the streets of Galway 4 times across Saturday and Sunday to provide sun cream, sun hats and water to people who are rough sleeping. The organisation’s day centre will also be open longer on Sunday to provide shelter and a safe place to relax.

According to Focus Ireland figures, there are over 10,300 homeless people across Ireland as of May 2022, the highest figure since December 2019. 

Dublin City Council’s spring time count found that there were roughly 91 sleeping rough in the capital the week of 28 March – 3 April 2022, meanwhile COPE Galway outreach team encountered 126 instances of rough sleeping between 20 June and 3 July.

This figure includes individuals sleeping rough numerous times over multiple days, and was comprised of 29 individuals.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said that the Department issued a written communication yesterday to homeless regional leads expressing Housing Minister Daragh O’Brien’s concern that the needs “for our vulnerable homeless citizens, particularly rough sleepers, during this extended hot period are met”.

The Department has asked local authorities and their outreach teams to provide increased street outreach, water, sunscreen and sun hats and shelter during the day.

It also advised organisations to use social media to ask the public to report people sleeping rough during the hot weather.

Carey urged anyone sleeping rough or homeless in the Galway region to contact the Teach Corrib Day Centre at 091 525259 or the COPE freephone helpline at 1800 788 887.

The Status Yellow temperature warning will be in place 6am Sunday and will last until 9pm on Tuesday, with the highest temperatures of up to 32 degrees expected on Monday.

Evenings are also set to remain hot, with temperatures overnight of between 15 and 20 degrees.

Met Éireann have warned that heat stress -  particularly for vulnerable people –  will be a potential impact of the hot weather. 

 

If you are sleeping rough or know of anyone living in homelessness and in need of help, you can contact your local county council or the following helplines:
  • Simon Community Dublin Outreach: 01 872 0185
  • Simon Community Cork Day Centre: 021 4226 047
  • Simon Community Midlands Helpline: 087 455 4542
  • Peter McVerry Out of Hours Kildare: 1800 804 307
  • Teach Corrib Day Centre: 091 525259COPE Freephone Helpline : 1800 788 887

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    Mute Jimmy Chickens
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    May 15th 2022, 7:49 AM

    Shocking. Guns shouldn’t be so freely available.

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    Mute Nora McElhinney
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    May 15th 2022, 9:25 AM

    @Jimmy Chickens: will they ever learn????? Just gather around the campfire, light a few candles, sing a few verses of kumbya and wait for the next armed lunatic….. so sad RIP

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    Mute Leadóg
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    May 15th 2022, 8:04 AM

    Nothing changed after Sandy Hook. I don’t wish harm on anyone but maybe it’s going to take the death of a top NRA person or an NRA supporting politician in a mass shooting for things to change.

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    Mute Ciaran
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    May 15th 2022, 11:37 AM

    @Leadóg: true but they all carry guns with them so it’s unlikely they themselves would be a victim.

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    Mute JPM
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    May 15th 2022, 2:49 PM

    @Leadóg: exactly. When nothing happened after Sandy Hook it’ll never happen

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    Mute Colm Coughlan
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    May 15th 2022, 7:58 AM

    It’s all okay though, President Biden is praying for the victims and their families.

    155
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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    May 15th 2022, 8:01 AM

    @Colm Coughlan: not just Biden, that’s all any of them did.

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    Mute pkunzip doom2.zip
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    May 15th 2022, 8:29 AM

    @Colm Coughlan: and his wife

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    Mute Michael Byrne
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    May 15th 2022, 9:42 AM

    @Colm Coughlan: Just like Trump did for the countless number of mass shootings that happened whilst he was in office. It’s quite clear the problem lies in the easy access to guns and the fear mongering and hate news that’s spread by OAN and Fox News…..

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    May 15th 2022, 10:39 AM

    @Colm Coughlan: you do realise trump was far worse….even though he has recently repeated he is the best thing ever for Christianty. Biden may be sincere, but trump is always ever only playing his twisted little game.

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    Mute Tricia G ☘️
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    May 15th 2022, 11:38 AM

    @Colm Coughlan: At least when Biden says he’s praying for them you’d actually believe he is…..

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 15th 2022, 2:22 PM

    @David Bohane: fun fact: you’re not a criminal until your convicted so the number of criminals who’s bail they paid would actually be a small minority, so that’s two things you’re blowing out of proportion. Also, bail is not a crime.
    The system of policing in the states is diabolical and has over inflated budgets. The idea of defend the police wasn’t that there shouldn’t be police. That’s strike three

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    Mute David
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    May 15th 2022, 2:58 PM

    @David Bohane: if the far left didn’t vote for Biden do you think they would of voted for Trump instead lol

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    May 15th 2022, 3:06 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: strange for the democrats to be bailing people out of jail no? Do the republicans engage in such practices as well?

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    Mute James Lough
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    May 15th 2022, 7:45 AM

    RIP. Senseless waste of life

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    Mute Teresa O'Halloran
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    May 15th 2022, 8:39 AM

    What a còward. Put the gun to his own neck but didn’t pull the trigger, yet he had no problem shooting thirteen innocent people. His parents have questions to answer for bringing this piece of ßhit into the world.

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    May 15th 2022, 8:52 AM

    @Teresa O’Halloran: His parents? Are you actually serious? So this guy is innocent because his parents are to blame? Engage your brain before making a comment.

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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    May 15th 2022, 8:57 AM

    @Teresa O’Halloran: He’s 18, so an adult. This makes him responsible for his own actions and not his parents.

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    Mute Teresa O'Halloran
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    May 15th 2022, 9:09 AM

    @lelookcoco: I didn’t say he was innocent. But he has all the signs of a spoilt brat. We need to find out why these kids are doing this by examining their upbringing and their home life. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Which means his parents are probably white supremacists also.

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    Mute Teresa O'Halloran
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    May 15th 2022, 9:13 AM

    @Jason Ebbs: what about the case of Ethan Crumbley, do you think his parents didn’t know what he was planning?

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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    May 15th 2022, 9:34 AM

    @Teresa O’Halloran: Difference circumstances. He was 15 at the time of his shooting, so a child.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    May 15th 2022, 11:42 AM

    @Teresa O’Halloran: Do you know everything your children are doing?

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    Mute Dave
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    May 15th 2022, 11:24 AM

    Horrific stuff, after seeing the footage.. When you can just roll up with an automatic weapon like that without a second thought, there is something seriously wrong with the American society and the obsession with guns…

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    Mute Lynne Colson
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    May 15th 2022, 9:28 AM

    Unfortunately the U.S. constitution would need to be so changed from “The right to bear arms” for any of this to stop or lessen even. Because the American “forefathers” wouldn’t have been able to have the foresight this far in to the future. A U.S. president is unable to simply change the constitution and the gun lobby is large and vocal. Republicans would never allow this change to the constitution.

    Contrary to popular belief there are a lot of people in the U.S. have no interest in guns.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    May 15th 2022, 10:43 AM

    @Lynne Colson: true! Even if they could change everything just to exclude automatic and assault rifles and all those other mad guns they have over there.

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    May 15th 2022, 3:08 PM

    @Paul Furey: I think there is an automatic weapons ban but it needs to be strengthened.

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    Mute Bramley Hawthorne
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    May 15th 2022, 8:13 AM

    A gun-totting society is a contradiction.

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    May 15th 2022, 12:23 PM

    He probably thinks that he’s going to be found innocent like Rittenhouse. The US continues to destroy itself, and all that it’s supposed to stand for.

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    Mute Jonhayes38
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    May 15th 2022, 9:17 AM

    Thoughts & prayers…

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    May 15th 2022, 2:50 PM

    Another MAGA loon.

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    May 15th 2022, 3:10 PM

    @Seán Ó Briain: no just a loon.

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    Mute Jimmy Reid
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    May 15th 2022, 7:54 AM

    What’s NY policy on the d penalty. You’d want this boyo to go for this. Crazy

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    Mute A$AP Ragnick
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    May 15th 2022, 9:10 AM

    @Jimmy Reid: dont think new york have it. Could be wrong though.

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    Mute Peter Sutton Fitzgibbon
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    May 15th 2022, 11:26 AM

    …and two were white before surrendering… ?

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