Cork Simon: A bed available for anyone who needs one

Cork Simon has provided extra emergency beds, has lifted all shelter exclusions, and will open its day centre 24 hours a day from today to ensure nobody has to sleep rough as temperatures plummet over the coming days.

And Cork Penny Dinners also announced plans to keep its soup kitchen open during the afternoons to ensure vulnerable people have somewhere warm to stay. The move is permanent, spokesperson Catriona Twomey confirmed.

With unofficial figures suggesting that up to 15 people slept rough in the city over the weekend, Cork Simon spokesman Paul Sheehan said the charity has a bed available for anyone who wants one.

“The exclusions we would have had in place at our shelter were few and far between, but the message for the next few days is anyone who needs a bed will be offered one,” he said.

The charity has increased by 14 the number of emergency beds it is providing as part of the city’s cold weather initiative, which has delivered an additional 31 beds into the system since November 1.

It has increased from 15 to 20 the number of beds in the cold weather shelter section of its emergency shelter, added three more sleeping spaces in its recreation room, and it has identified six additional spaces in its high support houses, with assurances that more spaces can be found if needed. Gardaí will provide additional supports if required.

“We will accommodate people as much as we can —we will find a bed somewhere for them,” Mr Sheehan insisted.

Bernard O’Hehir, of the homeless support group Reaching Out, said volunteers will be out on the streets over the coming nights providing hot food and warm clothes to rough sleepers, and encouraging them to avail of a bed in a shelter.

“You have to build a bond with them, be consistent, get to know them, listen to their stories, and it’s only then that you can suggest to them that they get out of the cold, and take up the offer of a bed,” he said.

“But you have to have the support services then. We can’t give them false hope and promises.”

Cllr Mick Nugent (SF) said there was no reason for people to sleep on the streets over the coming days.

“Sometimes people slip through the cracks, because of addiction and other issues, and that’s why groups like Bernard’s are so important — they can steer people in the right direction to get the support they need,” he said.

Cork City Council’s severe weather assessment team is due to meet again today and has set up a dedicated emergency phone number, 1800 283 034, for use during the severe weather event.

It said its road crews will continue salting and gritting priority public roads and pathways, with the road salting routes covering some 27% of all roads in the city — one of the highest percentage of routes in the country.

ESB Networks confirmed last night that it has postponed a number of planned outages, which were due to take place in Cork today, tomorrow, and on Friday, because of the adverse weather.

And in Kerry, the county council has placed supplies of grit at dozens of locations around the county for use by the public in emergency situations. Details of the locations are available on alerts.kerrycoco.ie.