Homeless plan Dáil sleep-out to highlight plight

Members of the homeless community have vowed to sleep outside the Dáil tonight to ensure the Government confronts the problem inside the political chambers.

As ministers return to work in the Oireachtas tomorrow morning after the summer recess, they will be faced with several people sleeping outside the gates of Leinster House in Dublin city centre.

Street Seen, which organised the ‘No more deaths on our streets’ campaign, said the sleep-out was a signal to the Government that campaigners intend to make homelessness a major issue for the next Dáil session.

“While the Government were away on their holidays the homeless community continued to suffer from the inaction of our so-called political leaders.

"There have been several deaths amongst the homeless community ultimately resulting in the launch of this campaign,” Mark Grehan of Street Seen said.

He said the homeless community had met nothing more than indifference from the Government.

Mr Grehan said: “This action is being taken to send a clear signal to the Government that we intend to make this issue a major issue for the next Dáil session.

“For too long this Government has ignored this issue. For too long have they left it up to charities to take action where they have failed to deliver.

"This Government can no longer ignore this issue as we will bring it their doorsteps. Failure to act will result in more deaths on our streets, deaths caused by the indifference of our Government.”

Members of the homeless community, and their supporters, will gather outside the Dáil from 6pm tonight until tomorrow morning.

Over a week ago around 200 people protested in Dublin city centre following the death of three people sleeping rough within the space of a fortnight in the capital.