Homeless charities ordered to turn away non-locals

HOMELESS charities say they have been instructed by the Government to provide shelter only to local homeless people and not those from other counties.

They say the order came from the Department of the Environment, which wants to stop homeless people signing on to numerous local authority housing waiting lists.

St Vincent de Paul and the Simon Community in Cork say they are refusing to comply with the stipulation and they have sought a meeting with department officials in order to seek a reversal of the policy.