THE NUMBER of women facing problems of homelessness in Dublin has increased significantly in the past year, according to new figures from Dublin Simon.
Some 148 women sought help from Dublin Simon’s rough sleeper team in the first six months of this year, compared with 71 in the first six months of the previous year. Relationship breakdown and alcohol or substance abuse are the main reasons for women becoming homeless.
The team has also noted a 48 per cent increase in the number of people seeking their services for the first time during the same period. Some 492 people sought help in the first half of this year.
Dublin Simon’s communications manager Lorna Cronnelly said there were no indications that this demand had slowed in recent months.
“We have also given out 224 sleeping bags or packs in this period compared to 63 in the same time period last year – a 256 per cent increase,” she said.
Dublin Simon’s soup run volunteers said they had noticed more women on the streets in recent times, but said the majority would go to a shelter or hostel at night rather than sleep outside.
From about 8pm every night, Dublin Simon’s volunteers take soup, sandwiches, tea and chocolate to people sleeping on the streets. In teams of twos and threes they travel as far as Finglas, Artane and Rathmines but most rough sleepers are found in the city centre.
The agency is seeking more volunteers, particularly on Saturday nights, and is also hoping to find a regular donor of soup and sandwiches as the winter nights close in.
“The latest street count shows that 111 people are sleeping rough every night in the city centre,” said Ms Cronnelly. “This is recognised as being an absolute minimum due to the difficulty with locating all those who are sleeping rough on any given night.”
The last official count in 2005 found that there were 2,015 homeless people in Dublin.
New figures are expected soon, following a count earlier this year.
The soup run:
GALLERY, pages 6 and 7
