A leading Dublin homeless charity said today it was witnessing an increasing number of foreign nationals who had lost jobs in the country's ailing construction availing of its services.
Chief executive of the Peter McVerry Trust, Pat Doyle, said many European migrants, who were attracted here during the boom but who had lost their jobs in the recession, were now living homeless on the streets of the capital.
“Like many of the Irish who lost their jobs in Britain or the US in previous decades, many don't return to their home countries for reasons of family commitments or shame.”
The trust operates approximately 60 emergency beds in several shelters across the greater Dublin area - each bed costing approximately €34,000 annually.
Speaking at the launch of the charity's five-year strategic plan in Dublin, Mr Doyle said homelessness in the capital had grown consistently throughout the boom - from 2,500 people in 2000 to more than 5,000 in 2008, disproving the theory that “a rising tide lifts all boats”.
The charity has not had an empty bed in any of its emergency shelters since July as a result of the increased demand linked to the recession, he said.
A new 25-bed emergency hostel in Aungier Street in Dublin, opened by the trust last month, has been full since the first night.
Mr Doyle said the trust was increasingly being forced to use B&Bs and low-cost hotels because of the pressure on its services. At the same time, he said, the charity's fundraising capacity across the sector was down by 25 per cent as a result of the downturn.
There was an urgent need for the local authorities in conjunction with the National Assets Management Agency (Nama) to identify housing units which could be used to move clients from temporary accommodation to more permanent units.
Fr Peter McVerry said it was a disgrace that people were still reduced to sleeping on the streets in modern Ireland because no beds were available.
He said the Department of Social Protection's stipulation that people needed to be homeless for six months before they could available of rental supplement was a serious obstacle to tackling the problem.
Also attending the event was Minister for Housing Willie Penrose who said the Government intended to move the administration of rental supplement away from the Department of Social Protection in favour of the local authorities.
