The first hostel where homeless people will be allowed to drink on the premises is to open in Dublin.
The "wet hostel", which will target street-drinkers, is to be operated by the de Paul Trust as part of Dublin City Council's winter strategy on homelessness.
The hostel on Aungier Street is to open initially on a six-month pilot basis.
However, Mr Pat Doherty, director of de Paul Trust Ireland, said yesterday he hope hoped it might remain open on a permanent basis after that.
The de Paul Trust has operated a wet hostel in London for a number of years.
Mr Doherty explained the importance of targeting street drinkers and allowing them to drink "in a controlled way" on the premises of a dedicated hostel.
"The problem is that especially in the winter, for drinkers sleeping rough, the alcohol numbs them to the cold, leaving them at far greater risk of suffering hypothermia.
"We know there were several deaths of rough sleepers at about this time last year and that alcohol played a part in some of those."
None of the homeless hostels currently permits drinking on the premises.
"One of the major issues for people dependent on alcohol is that they cannot go from seven o'clock at night to seven the next morning without a drink or at least the security of the bottle by their bed," according to Ms Mary Higgins, director of the Dublin City Council's Homeless Agency.
"So this project is about targeting those people, working with them to help them move on to transitional or permanent housing, and it's about saving lives."
The hostel will accommodate 24 people and will be open to men and women. It is fully funded by Dublin City Council and the Department of the Environment.
"We will provide accommodation and food as well as medical services," Mr Doherty said, "and staff will work with the people to work towards them moving into more permanent accommodation.
"There are no specific age restrictions but it is envisaged that it will attract people in the older age group."
The de Paul Trust already operates a hostel in Clancy Barracks in Dublin, targeting drug-using homeless people. The Clancy Barracks hostel is aimed at a younger age group.
Mr Doherty said people would be referred there by outreach workers from organisations such as Dublin Simon and Focus Ireland.
"Project workers are already in the process of targeting vulnerable street drinkers for the service."
A similar wet hostel is proposed for Limerick. It is thought this will open early in the new year.
