Cork Simon turns homeless away as shelter always full

CORK Simon turned away more than 500 people from its emergency shelter last year and has warned of a funding crisis.

Because Simon’s city centre shelter was full every night last year, 536 people in dire need of accommodation were turned away — almost double the figure from the previous year.

And the charity for the homeless has warned of a “difficult funding environment” that will pose serious challenges in the years ahead.

Despite raising €2.4 million last year, Cork Simon director Colette Kelleher said if it wasn’t for the unexpected receipt of huge legacy donations late in the year, the organisation would be reporting a deficit today.

She has called on the Government to back its pledge to protect the poor and vulnerable with funding.

The full details of Cork Simon’s 2007 activities will be unveiled at the launch of its annual report this afternoon.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Ms Kelleher said despite some new developments, there are still huge gaps in its services.

“We had very little hope to offer people who had to stay long term in our emergency shelter because they had nowhere else to go — people who are ready to move but have nowhere to call home.

“And our emergency shelter was full every night, which meant we had to turn away over 500 people who needed emergency accommodation. These are people whose needs we couldn’t meet.”

Ms Kelleher said while she was encouraged by the Government’s commitments last December to protect poor and vulnerable people, she said those words must not be a substitute for action.

“If they are serious about their commitment, then their thinking must be based on the reality of what’s happening on the ground. Their words must be backed up with adequate resources that match the phenomenal support we get in Cork, so that those people whose needs we couldn’t meet are protected.”

But in spite of the struggle to secure adequate funding, Cork Simon helped 1,400 people last year, its biggest-ever figure.

It also introduced a new counselling service for people who have no home and are battling with mental health problems.

Ms Kelleher said great strides have been made in Cork in recent years to tackle homelessness. “Voluntary organisations, statutory agencies, people and businesses in Cork — we’ve all pulled together to put homeless services in place that work.

“We’ve proven that the right mix of voluntary effort, local backing and adequate state resources deliver results. But the state must not lose sight of what is required if we are to be truly effective in caring for people on the margins of society — the 500 people Cork Simon had to turn away in 2007.”

The report will be launched by Senator Dan Boyle, deputy leader of Seanad Éireann and chairman of the Green party, who helped negotiate his party’s place in government.

“The Government response to homelessness, which has seen increased resources in recent years, needs to be sustained,” he said.

“The imminent publication of the homelessness strategy will hopefully provide a context in which support for homelessness can be maintained and improved, irrespective of changing economic circumstances.”

However, Dublin Simon spoke out in February after the HSE refused to provide extra funding to the homeless sector.

It meant that Dublin Simon was unable to establish 12 separate projects, for which it had sought funding.

These plans included an expansion of its emergency shelter and extending its drug and alcohol detox programmes.