Focus Ireland Statement Supporting Merchant Quay Ireland's Dealing With Homelessness Campaign

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday November 27, 2003 16:32 by Roughan Mac Namara - Focus Ireland rmcnamara at focusireland dot ie

Calls for more targeted accommodation and services

Focus Ireland Chief Executive Declan Jones is the external expert for Day 4 (Thur Nov 27th) of Merchants Quay Ireland’s week-long Dealing with Homelessness campaign. The 4th day of the campaign is highlighting issues facing families, children and young people. Each day of the campaign has highlighted different issues including the relationship between homelessness and drug and alcohol use. Mr. Jones said: “I support the many issues raised by this campaign. One of the problems we’ve found is that people with addiction problems are being forced into a position where they’re stuck sleeping rough on the streets because of the lack of suitable accommodation and services. This means they quickly become further marginalized and stuck in a vicious circle of substance abuse and homelessness.”

Focus Ireland has called upon the Government for urgent provision of more services and accommodation targeted to help young people with addiction problems break this cycle and “get off the streets break their habit.” The Minister for Children Mr. Brian Lenihan TD recently opened the Caretakers project in Dublin City Centre which provides emergency accommodation for young people aged 16-21 sleeping rough with addiction problems. The project is a partnership initiative between Focus Ireland and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Focus Ireland maintains there needs to be more funding available for more of these type of projects along with better preventative strategies to stop people from becoming homeless and/or developing an addiction problem in the first place.

Mr. Jones said: “Since this project first opened in May it’s already provided accommodation for 35 young people at different times. But it only has 9 beds ands there needs to others like it as there are at least 140 young people independently homeless in Dublin each night (Source: Counted In 2002) many of whom need a service like this to give them a chance.” Specially trained staff at the project help people link in with relevant services such as psychological/psychiatric and drug treatment services and give them a chance to break their habit which is often impossible for them to do when they are living a chaotic life sleeping on the streets. No drug taking is allowed on the premises but the service does provide a place to stay for many people who are barred from other accommodation because of drug use - current or previous.