Simon resources ‘stretched to the limit’
Between January and October of this year, 18 homeless people supported by Cork Simon Services — 12 men and six women — died. The youngest was 18 and the oldest was over 65. That’s five more deaths than in all of 2005.
“We are stretching our resources to the limit to respond to the increasing need,” said Cork Simon director Colette Kelleher. “During the first half of 2006, the Cork Simon Day Centre supported 544 people — a 122% increase on all of 2005. On average, 80 people per day are accessing our services and support. This compares to an average of 71 people per day accessing the Day Centre in all of 2005.”
Throughout 2006, the Cork Simon Emergency Centre has been full every night. The shelter has had to turn people away because there were no beds available. On one recent night, November 30, the Emergency Shelter had to turn away 46 people.
Cork Simon doesn’t want to say where the Cold Weather Shelter will be located for fear of objections. The premises are being made available by property developers, Frinailla Developments. The shelter will be staffed by experienced care workers and trained volunteers. Each night, it will provide beds for 25 people in a place that is warm and secure, linking people into other homeless services where necessary and when available. In previous years, the Cold Weather Shelter ensured no one had to sleep rough over the Christmas/New Year period.
“Given our recent experience of the level of need for emergency accommodation, these extra beds will not be enough to meet the existing needs of all people seeking shelter from us.
“Despite our best efforts, people will be sleeping rough over the Christmas/New Year period. We don’t have adequate resources or accommodation,” it said.
Kelleher said that while Cork Simon had had a good working partnership with the HSE (Health Service Executive) and Cork City Council in tackling homelessness, “we are very disappointed that there wasn’t a greater emphasis on homelessness in the Budget.
“The needs on the streets need to be responded to. There’s certainly a willingness from the HSE and Cork City Council to take action once they have the resources made available to them. But there was nothing specific in the Budget about homelessness which means that what ourselves, Cork City Council and the HSE can do is limited.
“In the last few years, the government has made homelessness a priority and that has made a big difference. But it seems to have slipped down the list.
“In terms of tax revenue, the government took in more in November of this year than in the whole of 1990. So there’s no reason in resource terms why anybody should miss out on that most basic need — shelter. The government needs to prioritise homelessness again if we’re to continue to make the progress we have made. Homelessness can be ended in the city,” she said.
