Extra beds, soup and sleeping bags to protect homeless from ‘threat to life’

WITH temperatures set to plummet this week, an extra 104 beds will be made available for homeless people.

Speaking at the National Emergency Coordination Group for Severe Weather meeting yesterday, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said: ‘There are an additional 104 emergency beds on top of the 200 permanent beds we put in before the end of last year.

‘A temporary facility has been put in place in the Dublin area and that will be run by partner organisation the McVerry Trust. We’ve extra rough sleeper teams going out and getting people into safe secure accommodation before the cold weather hits.’

He also appealed to the public to report sightings of rough sleepers to homeless.ie.

The Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland will also open its doors providing beds, meals and sleeping bags.

Councils in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford will keep all cold weather initiatives for rough sleepers in place. Extra capacity has been put in place to ensure there are enough bed spaces for rough sleepers who do not usually avail of homeless services.

Pat Doyle of Peter McVerry Trust said: ‘We will be putting in place a series of exceptional measures this week in order to get as many people out of the extreme cold weather which represents a clear threat to life for people who sleep rough.’

Dublin Simon Community has also increased capacity and will be sending outreach teams while also delivering soup every night.