A YEAR OF HELL ON THE STREET
I was beaten up, robbed and sexually assaulted I slept rough because I was terrified in the hostel I ended up on drugs to block it all out but I’m clean now Irish homeless total soars to 8,270
assaults didn’t stop. He added: “I slept out on the streets a few nights because I was afraid to go back to the hostel. I had to beg for money because I was robbed. “That was degrading because up to that point I’d worked all my life, but they were beating me and robbing me all the time so I had no choice if I wanted to eat.
“One time I was on the street waiting for my dole card and I was attacked by two heroin addicts. They beat me stupid, a man and a woman.
“They beat the head off me. I was in hospital for a week with fractures to my face and I had to have screws and a plate put in.”
Fine Gael Cllr Tom O’leary has THE most recent figures released by the Department of Housing showed 8,270 people were registered as living in emergency and temporary accommodation during the last week of August. Since the beginning of this year there has been a net increase of 140 people becoming homeless each month. These figures point to a 23% projected rise in homelessness for 2017. pleaded Patrick’s case to Fingal County Council in a bid to secure a permanent home for him.
He said: “He’s a genuine guy who wants to stay in his own community where his family and friends are.
“He’s trying to rehabilitate himself and get back on his feet working on the fishing boats.
“All I can do is keep pushing it with the council – and I’m not going to let it go.”
A spokesperson for Fingal County Council said: “The council is not in a position to comment on this case.
“However, we can state we are in contact with the citizen in question with respect to his housing need situation and this contact will continue.”
sylvia.pownall@irishmirror.ie