25% of homeless suffer from mental illness - report

New figures released this morning show that a quarter of homeless people in Dublin who used the Simon Community’s Emergency shelters last year suffer from a mental illness.

The figures from the group’s annual report found that 813 people used the shelters last year, a 12% increase on the previous year.

The figures also reflect an increased demand for the Simon’s soup run, with more than 1,000 blankets and 45,000 cups of soup distributed in 2000.

The Director of the Simon Community, Greg Maxwell, has said the mental health problem among the homeless must be tackled.

He called on the mental health services to review their service and break down the obstacles of access for homeless people.