President hails home for ex-servicemen
A new complex for homeless ex-servicemen and women matches the humanity soldiers have shown while on peacekeeping duties, it was claimed today.
President Mary McAleese said the 40-bed Bru na BhFiann complex in Dublin’s Smithfield district would offer dignity and respect to former Defence Forces personnel who found themselves living on the streets.
And she paid tribute to the years of service carried out by the soldiers under the United Nations flag in the Lebanon, Kosovo and the Congo.
“This is a place of comfort, ease and welcome for men and women who honoured this country in their service with our armed forces, often making themselves uncomfortable in that service, undertaking work that was far from easy and often working in less than welcoming environments,” the President said.
“I have frequently described the members of our Defence Forces as Ireland’s primary ambassadors, for wherever they have served abroad they have showcased the very best of the Irish.
“They are held in the highest regard by the United Nations and by the peoples of all the countries they have served in under the UN flag. They do the job of soldiering brilliantly not just because of their consummate professionalism but because of their deep humanity.”
Mrs McAleese said the difficulties which retired soldiers faced struck home in the late 1990s when three ex-servicemen died, alone and homeless on Dublin’s streets.
The deaths sparked moves to set up shelters for former servicemen and women who found themselves homeless. The first centre was set up in 1994 by the Organisation of National Ex-servicemen and Women which has more than 1,600 members but acts as a link for more than 100,000 retired Defence Forces personnel.
Over the past decade ONET expanded building accommodation with a 20-room complex built in 1994 in Dublin’s Queen’s Street, later expanded to a 40-bed premises centre in North King Street.
An eight bed unit has been opened in Letterkenny and another is due to open in Athlone in August. Plans to source a residential facility for retired members in the Munster area are also under way.
Joe Lynch, ONET’s chief executive officer, said the new centre would offer dignity and respect for former servicemen and women.
“We are delighted with this incredible development as we have always believed that dignity and respect are the key to self esteem,” he said.
“In the last 14 years our organisation has catered to over 460 ex-service personnel on the east coast who would otherwise have had nowhere else to go.
“Our time in uniform has been important to us and has afforded us some marvellous opportunities and ONET simply wishes to look after our comrades through projects like this.”
