Charity carries out 7,200 consultations with homeless

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.

Almost 4,000 of those were in relation to non-Irish nationals.

Trust provides medical and related services for people who are homeless.

The charity’s co-founder Alice Leahy said the service has seen a huge increase in the numbers of foreign people since 2000, many from the EU accession states.

The charity is struggling to cope with an increasing number of people who want shower facilities, a need which continues not to be met by Dublin City Council. Other European cities have these public facilities.

“The ability to have a shower and maintain personal hygiene is a fundamental right and critical to maintaining good health,” Ms Leahy said.

“Trust submitted a detailed proposal to Dublin City Council and commissioned an architect to draw up plans for public showers in July 2006. We have met Dublin City Council, the minister for the environment and other interests involved, and are continuing to work to seek to have these facilities provided. This remains a need that is not being addressed.”

Trust personnel meet an average of 100 to 120 people weekly — about 5,000 throughout the year — in the course of their daily journeys through the city.

Ms Leahy said while this would not be seen as structured outreach, all interactions lead to listening, advising and ultimately assisting people. Contact is also maintained with people. According to Trust it is impossible to collect reliable information on the numbers of people using the services of the charity who have died.

“People sometimes reported dead re-appear. Hostel and hospital staff caring for people who are homeless often don’t realise that other agencies have played a significant role in the lives of people they meet. People who are homeless when hospitalised frequently give addresses because the stigma of homelessness remains, some people make contact with families, and families often take care of their loved ones, some never realising they had lived a life they knew nothing about.”

Ms Leahy said Trust keeps a burial plot donated and cared for by staff in Glasnevin for which it greatly appreciates.