Calls made for homeless services in West Waterford
Following a high profile homelessness case last weekend in Dungarvan, renewed calls for an outreach office in West Waterford were made by councillors at this week’s Dungarvan Lismore Municipal meeting.
The topic was raised by Cllr Conor D McGuinness who noted that despite the work done by the council’s homeless services, they are also not always accessible.
Cllr McGuinness acknowledged the location of the homeless services in Waterford City under a share roof system with other agencies, however stated that there is a ‘deficit of accessibility for people in West Waterford accessing those services’.
“It’s very difficult for people to access those services especially when they are going through one of the most difficult trying and stressful periods of their life when they’re at risk of homelessness or actually experiencing homelessness.
“There should be an outreach office of some kind available in Dungarvan for homeless services so that people from west Waterford can access the services and supports that they offer,” Cllr McGuinness said
MORE RURAL SERVICES
Local councillor John Pratt concurred with Cllr McGuinness, highlighting that if someone in the west of the county becomes homeless, they will end having to go to the city to access services.
“To me, that is very wrong. It could be someone from my own town of Tallow or it could be
Dungarvan, and why is the city the only option,” he asked.
“I think at a minimum there should be services in the Dungarvan area to facilitate those in the west of the county,” Cllr Pratt said.
He went on to add that some people choose not to present themselves as homeless with the knowledge that if they do present as homeless, they will have to go to the city for such services.
A number of councillors at the meeting concurred with the sentiment, calling for more services to be put in place in the West Waterford region.
Director of Services, Catherine Horan acknowledged the concerns in relation to the location of homelessness services, noted however that one of the major successes of the current homeless services centre is that it is a ‘one-stopshop multiagency’ site.
“I think the success is the fact that it has multi-agency, so the feasibility of replicating that as an outreach office probably isn’t ideal,” Ms Horan said.
She went on to note that phone support is provided also and that there is housing staff located in Dungarvan who are available to advise anyone who contacts them, which is one of the first steps in relation to those presenting as homeless as they would have to be assessed in relation to social housing.
Addressing a query posed by Cllr Thomas Phelan, Ms Horan noted that there are currently a number of emergency beds located in both the city and county and that the council also utilise a number of hostel providers for emergency beds.