‘Growing epidemic’ in Drogheda area needs to be addressed states councillor

LOUTH County Council Housing Officer Martina Sheeran said the council have an excellent frontline team to help people on the path out of homelessness.

She said the service are currently in the process of adding and additional 14-15 homeless beds in the council.

‘Not everyone wants these, not everyone wants to live in a hostel, not everyone wants our help and we can only offer as much help as people are willing to take from us,’ she said.

‘ The team works very hard and it’s a difficult job. They put up with a huge amount of abuse; threats, accusations, verbal abuse. We are out on the streets helping people Some of the people mentioned, they do not want our help.’

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Byrne said: ‘Whilst I meant no disrespect to the staff in the housing department, the awareness needs to be there that the homeless crisis in Drogheda is much bigger than the local authorities report portrays, be it down to the fact that maybe some of these people are not presenting themselves to the authority as homeless, or whatever the case may be, but the reality is that this is a growing epidemic and needs to be addressed.’