Sinn Féin to table emergency motion against closure of homeless hostel in Dublin

Sinn Féin says it does not make sense that Dublin City Council want to close a homeless hostel in the south inner city.

The party will table an emergency motion to the council on Monday, calling for the Bru hostel to be kept open.

The hostel was set up as part of the Winter Strategy to prevent rough sleepers in cold weather.

However, Sinn Féin says the hostel should not be closed for the summer, as the facility is now an essential part of the city's homeless strategy.

Chairperson of Dublin City Council's Housing Committee, Daithi Doolan, says the hostel is on government-owned land controlled by the Minister for Communications.

He said: "We're looking for the Digital Hub, the Minister and the chief executive to work together to make sure this hostel remains open. It was an empty building lying derelict.

"City Council took it over, did it up, painted, decorated, put services in there including the provision of fresh food, medical services and support services for upwards of a hundred people who could book in there through the free phone."