HOMELESS HOSTELS DISASTER
Campaigner Fr Mcverry on safety fears inside shelters
HOMELESS champion Fr Peter Mcverry has slammed the hostel system as “a disaster”.
His comments come as a man living on the streets remains in hospital with life-changing injuries.
The foreign national, who was sleeping in a tent along Dublin’s Grand Canal, was seriously injured on Tuesday night when council and Waterways Ireland workers were removing tents from the area.
Fears emerged yesterday the victim, aged in his 30s, is now paralysed.
He remained in St Vincent’s Hospital yesterday in Dublin where he continued to receive treatment.
Gardai and the Health & Safety Authority launched investigations.
A spokeswoman said: “The HSA was notified of the incident in the canal late on Tuesday night and inspectors are carrying out a preliminary investigation.”
Fr Peter Mcverry, founder of the Peter Mcverry Trust, yesterday slammed the emergency accomodation system, saying many homeless people sleep in tents because it’s safer than hostels.
He told RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland: “It’s true there are hostel places available but what’s not discussed is the quality of those hostel places.
“Many people don’t feel safe in those hostels. Now, some hostels are excellent and people are very happy there.
“But there are many hostels where people are sharing a room with five or six other people. You don’t know who you’re sharing with.
“The biggest complaint I get from homeless people is they wake up in the morning and all the people who are sleeping in the room with them are gone and so are all their belongings. The second biggest complaint is being assaulted.”
Fr Mcverry said many of those staying in hostels are living with addiction or mental health issues.
Those who have never used narcotics often approach him, asking whether he can help them find drug-free hostels.
He said: “There are some drug-free hostels but they are very few and far between. Many of those people who are drug-free simply have to share a room with active drug users.
“I think that’s immoral. But that’s the reality.”
There are drug-free hostels but they are few and far between
FR PETER MCVERRY YESTERDAY
CAMPAIGNER Fr Peter Mcverry has slammed the current emergency accommodation system, branding it dangerous and immoral.
He said many people without a home prefer to sleep in tents and brave the winter weather, rather than sleep in hostels, where they can be assaulted or robbed.
This is not the first time an advocate for homeless people has highlighted the dangers of hostels, which are often rife with drugs and those struggling with mental health issues.
But it seems however much it is said, the Government is still not listening.