Homeless 'tsunami' as 40 sleep on one street
A leading homelessness campaigner has said services for the homeless are in “turmoil”, as more than 40 people slept rough on one street,
Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) conduct outreach services in the capital every night, providing food, personal hygiene supplies, and sleeping bags to rough sleepers.
On Tuesday night, the group witnessed more than 40 people sleeping on one street.
“We saw over 40 people bedded down. This situation has been at peak level for a number of nights, but this is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said ICHH chief executive Anthony Flynn.
On Tuesday night, the charity engaged with 182 rough sleepers, the highest recorded figure in the last two years.
Mr Flynn said the escalating numbers are being caused by Brexit and the closure of some winter- initiative beds.
“A lot of people are coming into the country, because they think they’ll have a better life here.
“Their nationality or race shouldn’t come into it,” Mr Flynn told the Irish Examiner.
“I think the homeless crisis is going to get 10 times worse, because of Brexit,” he added.
While ICHH had noted an increase of 27% in rough sleeper numbers over the last few weeks, an additional 40 or so people have come onto the capital’s streets in recent days.
“It was just absolutely bedlam,” said Mr Flynn, describing the scenes in Dublin city centre on Tuesday night.
He called for urgent accommodation to house the people sleeping rough, while adding that as a voluntary body ICHH was doing the best it could in its capacity.
“Homelessness, homeless services are in turmoil. The homeless tsunami has hit us and this is like something I’ve never encountered before,” said Mr Flynn.
Latest figures show there are 7,167 people homeless in Ireland.
