Homeless charities face increased pressure following Citywest hub closure

On Wednesday, instead of a sit-down breakfast service, the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin
provides a takeaway breakfast and distributes food hampers. Picture: Conor O’Mearain / Collins

Homeless charities are worried about the increased strain they are under as the government struggles to source accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants.

There are concerns some refugees will end up sleeping rough without a place to go.

On Tuesday, the Department for Integration confirmed it was closing the Citywest transit hub to new arrivals.

Homeless charities — which are already under pressure — are readying themselves for additional people requiring their help.

“We just don’t know what numbers are going to come in. We hope and feel we are ready for them,” the manager of the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin city centre Alan Bailey has said of asylum seekers seeking assistance.

“We sat down with staff at 6am this morning and worked out the logistics of a big influx today, we feel we are ready for it,” he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

“Once we received the advice from the Government that there may be an influx, we've been getting ready for it — we were here this morning at 6am to get ready in case we have an influx of the people who arrived yesterday.

We have prepared for at least another 100 people, as long as we have a bit of advance notice it's no problem for us to have it ready.” 

On Wednesday, instead of a sit-down breakfast service, the centre provides a takeaway breakfast and distributes food hampers.

The average breakfast is 200 people, said Mr Bailey.

“A lot of those are rough sleepers who have spent the night walking the streets, normally we open at 8 o'clock but the last few days we have started at 7 o'clock to take them in off the street.

“We're doing 200 breakfasts, six mornings a week, we also offer dinner — full three courses, that starts at 12.30pm until 3pm and we do between 500 and 600 dinners every day.

We’re seeing a lot of new people, people who have never been here before.

"We like to think they know they can come here because they will be comfortable and we will provide the necessities.” 

Mr Bailey said on the previous occasion when Citywest had to close to new arrivals, the centre provided meals, shower facilities and medical services.

“They said themselves where they're coming from is far worse than anything that can happen here. They were grateful.” 

Another charity, Tiglin, reported a 30% rise in demand for its services as a result.

Tiglin founder Aubrey McCarthy said empty buildings in Dublin need to be opened up immediately as homeless services cannot cope.

"We are bursting at the seams. We usually serve up to 250 people for dinner. Yesterday, we had a 30% increase just on the meals," he said.

"If that continues, what is going to happen is, you are going to have people in sleeping bags in doorways."