SOUP CHARITY’S UNSAFE ‘INSULT’
GPO soup kitchen volunteers left ‘broken-hearted’ by report
A SOUP kitchen charity has hit back at a report which criticised its efforts to dole out free food to the homeless.
The Muslim Sisters Of Eire, which operates a food service outside the GPO on Dublin’s O’connell Street, described the report as insulting.
The charity was responding to a report commissioned by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive which called for action “to address risks” posed by such services.
Late night on-street homeless aid providing food, toiletries and clothes were variously described as “undignified” and “unsafe” in the DRHE report.
Reacting to the findings, the Muslim Sisters Of Eire issued a statement via social media revealing it “broke our hearts” to read the report. It said the charity’s volunteers had “another insanely busy night at the GPO” on Friday, providing 400 meals including burgers and sandwiches. It added: “The service we provide is so badly needed and it broke our hearts to read the so-called independent report on the soup runs. “It is very insulting. We were scrutinised in March to be HSE registered, to have all our people trained, to do anything HSE wanted us to do which we did. “We find that utterly insulting and we are tired and if there wasn’t a need then we wouldn’t be leaving our homes at night for feeding the endless queues.”
Up to 20 unofficial homelessness organisations are operating in Dublin city, with reports of rough sleepers being woken several times during the night to be offered food by various groups.
In her report consultant Mary Higgins said these groups “do not have the skills or experience to engage with people who are homeless and there are examples of their interventions undermining the work of mainstream providers and possibly supporting people to remain on or return to the streets”.
Ms Higgins added the report also found volunteer groups were potentially supporting people to remain on the streets, yet homeless people were “not the main users of the services”. Her research is based on observation and interviews with homeless services, volunteer groups, officials, businesses and residents of private emergency accommodation.
Ms Higgins stated that in some cases food stalls were attracting drug dealing and tents were being used for prostitution.
She added: “The model of on-street services where people queue for food and eat in full public view on the main streets of the city is inherently undignified and is potentially unsafe.”
The review found services to be lacking the “skills” to deal with homeless people and they “contributed to increased anti-social behaviour on the city streets”.
It added: “There are examples of their interventions undermining the work of mainstream providers and possibly supporting people to remain on or return to the streets.”
People queuing for food and eating in public is undignified MARY HIGGINS ON SOME ON-STREET SERVICES