Cork Simon forced to turn people away  from shelter as temperatures reached -6C

City's emergency shelter 'packed to the rafters for several months now'

'We have been experiencing these busy nights for quite some time now. It is nothing new, but we would always be concerned for the health of people sleeping rough at any point of the year.' Picture: David Creedon

As temperatures plummeted to -6C in Cork and -7.4C in Kilkenny in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Cork Simon Community was forced to turn people away.

The facility has been "packed to the rafters for several months", according to staff.