bernie@limerickpst.ie
THERE are 25 homeless children and 21 adults living in bed and breakfast accommodation in Limerick, some of them since last July.
But a senior member of the Homeless Action Team told a meeting of Limerick City and County councillors that they found just one person sleeping rough on a night when a team of thirteen people walked the city to count the rough sleepers.
Stephan McNamara was briefing members of the council’s home and social development committee on the overall situation with homelessness last Monday.
Asking what progress had been made on developing sites for social housing, Cllr Joe Leddin (Lab) said, “We have 25 across the city suitable for housing. This is a supply issue and we need to get moving and build”.
Cllr Bill O’Donnell (FG) said it seemed that the survey “was very central. The likes of car parks are also places where homeless people sleep”.
Cllr Cian Prendiville (AAA) said “the situation where children are living in B&B accommodation is heartbreaking. There is also a huge layer of hidden homelessness with people sleeping on the couches of friends and family”.
Cllr John Gilligan said that part of the problem is addiction. “We are sleepwalking through a huge heroin addiction problem. I’m told it’s easier now to get heroine than it is to go and buy a bottle of wine”.
Mr McNamara said a project worker and occupational therapists were among the support workers who are now engaging with homeless people.
He said that the survey covered the city centre between the railway station and the Shannon River and between Mount Kenneth Place and Hartstonge and Merchant’s Quay.
“We have brought in the Winter beds initiative early this year and we will provide twenty emergency beds, starting November and continuing for five months,” he said.
He added that as yet, the team has not secured a premises where they can provide the emergency accommodation.
He said that members of the team that carried out the survey last week tried to engage with the individual they found sleeping rough to offer support services “but apart from accepting a sleeping bag which they gave him, he didn’t want to engage with us. We could not check private premises where we have heard that some homeless people sleep”.
The team also asked Gardaà to look out for street sleepers, he said.
“Evidence of rough sleeping was found in the laneway off Shannon Street. Ssome form of bedding was observed but no-one was present.
“Gardai conducted and early morning search of the city on October 19 and 20. Private property, anecdotally identified as areas where people were sleeping rough were also checked. No rough sleepers were found,” Mr McNamara concluded.
