An additional 31 bed spaces are on track to open by tonight to house homeless people in Dublin, with another 10 spaces to follow by the end of next week Mike Allen, director of advocacy at Focus Ireland has said.
More information on the remaining bed spaces to be opened will be made available following the Cabinet subcommittee meeting. After the forum on homelessness in the city last Thursday, the Minister for Environment Alan Kelly pledged to offer 220 more emergency places to accommodate those sleeping rough.
“We’ve no other information other than we’re working on opening up capacity,” said Francis Doherty, communications and advocacy manager at the Peter McVerry Trust, which is offering the 31 new bed spaces together with Focus Ireland.
Focus Ireland will provide the building space, while the Peter McVerry Trust will provide five of the six staff members operating the facility, four of whom will be on duty tonight, Mr Doherty said.
The 31 spaces are in a building Focus Ireland owns in the southwest of Dublin’s inner city, off Thomas Street near the Liberties, Mr Allen said. Focus Ireland had been preparing extra accommodation even before the news of Jonathan Corrie’s death emerged, he said.
The remaining 200-odd bed spaces to be opened will come from other organisations, Mr Allen said.
The entire service of 41 bed spaces will be likely to close at the end of March, he said, as they are intended for emergency accommodation and are not to the standard for long-term occupancy.