Shelter provided for rough sleepers
HOMELESSNESS charities and local authorities worked together to ensure there was accommodation for all rough sleepers as Hurricane Ophelia caused chaos.
In Dublin city alone it is understood that some 368 rough sleepers were accommodated in a number of different locations .
This was 300 more than would usually use overnight accommodation, according to the Peter McVerry Trust.
Those availing of the services were provided with camp beds or sleeping bags.
Around 50 sleeping bags were provided by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive for the Capuchin Centre, which made room for 120 occupants.
Francis Doherty, of the Peter McVerry Trust, said the public’s help ensured that most rough sleepers were located by the service.
“We went out and engaged with as many rough sleepers as possible,” Mr Doherty said.
He said the charity was alerted to incidents of people sleeping in pop-up tents along the seafront in Clontarf.
Dublin city councillor Christy Burke and a team from the Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) were understood to have been out until midnight to ensure that nobody was left sleeping on the streets.
“It’s been hectic, but so far a lot of homeless are indoors, we might get some people that stay out, it’s crazy,” Cllr Burke said.
Meanwhile, emergency accommodation hostels have also been opened on a 24-hour basis.
This has been put in place by charities across the country, with Novas in Limerick similarly attempting to take in as many rough sleepers as possible.
“We’re open 24 hours until at least tomorrow evening (today). It’s been absolutely chock-ablock all day,” Una Burns, from Novas, said.
“We will take in anyone who present themselves.”
Charity St Vincent de Paul was expected to fill two hostels in Cork, along with hostels in Waterford, Limerick, Galway, Wexford, Carlow, Longford and Donegal.