Alice Leahy has spent 40 years bringing comfort to Ireland’s homeless population, writes Michael Clifford

The number of homeless people living in emergency accommodation across Ireland has risen by almost 10% since November.

Jonathan Corrie’s death has illuminated the multifaceted nature of homelessness — and revealed that only a multifaceted approach can solve it, writes Special Correspondent Michael Clifford

A leading human rights campaigner has said there is “something very wrong” with how this country was addressing homelessness following the gruesome death of a Polish man.

Gardaí investigating the death of a Polish man, whose body was found in a bin truck, are today asking the public for help in tracing his last movements.

Ireland's homeless are still suffering with health problems that have otherwise 'disappeared', according to the head of the independent charity Trust.

Homeless people are presenting with conditions “long disappeared” such as trench foot and impetigo, leg ulcers and gangrene, social justice campaigner Alice Leahy has said.

The recession has swollen the numbers of homeless in our cities. Sue Leonard talks to those who offer help and support throughout the year

HOMELESS charity Trust carried out over 7,200 consultations with people who live on the streets of Dublin in 2010, a report by the charity has said.

FORMER Mountjoy Prison governor John Lonergan is to lead this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Clonmel.

AFTER almost 35 years in operation, homeless charity Trust has had to cease its “open door” policy because of violence, drugs and racism.

FIGURES from Trust for 2009 released to the Irish Examiner show it carried out almost 11,000 consultations last year, almost 7,000 of which were with Irish people and more than 3,500 with foreigners.

THANK you for highlighting the plight of people with mental health problems through Jennifer Hough’s excellent piece (June 7). However, I find myself once again saying “the more things change the more they remain the same”.

THE LACK of a high-profile campaign to highlight a cold weather initiative for people sleeping rough is deeply concerning, the head of a leading independent charity has warned.

THIRD-level colleges must urgently provide a wider range of part-time degree courses, the head of their funding agency has claimed.

A NEW report on how the Government should fund social housing ignores tenants and their needs, and targets the most vulnerable, it has been claimed.

NAMA legislation must change if it is to help alleviate the pressure on the social housing sector, a leading charity has warned.

NEW legislation to protect whistleblowers is urgently needed to protect vulnerable people in society, human rights campaigner Alice Leahy has said.

A SOCIAL campaigner who yesterday received a lifetime achievement award for her work with homeless people has vowed to carry on for another lifetime.

CHARITABLE spirits from across the country pledged food and money to the Capuchin friary where 700 people this week queued for basic food supplies.

MORE than 700 people queued outside a Dublin friary yesterday for free food parcels — double the numbers the centre normally feeds.

A 21-BED emergency shelter for homeless people which opened on a pilot basis in Dublin over the weekend is running at full capacity and already having to turn people away.

THE Government has taken the first positive steps in tackling the plight of people sleeping rough.

LONG-TERM vacant properties should be made available for homeless people seeking shelter during cold snaps and bad weather, the director of a homeless charity has urged.

Former Fine Gael TD Maurice Manning was today re-appointed as president of the Human Rights Commission for a second five-year term.

The challenges of living in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland will be discussed at the ninth annual Ceifin conference which opens today.

A national body is needed to ensure immigrants are better integrated into Irish society and don’t become unemployed or homeless, it was claimed today.

THE right of patients to decent accommodation must be preserved when the State’s 15 mental hospitals are sold off, a homeless organisation demanded last night.

PLANS to prevent prisons being used as a “dumping ground” for homeless people have been shelved because of a lack of resources, according to one of the country’s leading unions.

THE Celtic Tiger’s roar was heard around the world. Ireland was suddenly affluent, a place for chocolate-dusted, frothy cappuccinos and sleek mobile phones.