Woman found sleeping rough under 'Skippo Bag' by council workers in Cork City

The discovery was made in the Friar’s Walk area, just yards from where a council bungalow has been lying vacant for almost a year

When a cleansing crew was dispatched to remove the rubbish, they spotted the upturned Skippo Bag on top of a rug in a corner of the green. File picture

A woman was found sleeping rough under a large canvass 'Skippo Bag' by council workers responding to reports of illegal dumping in Cork City.

The discovery was made in the Friar’s Walk area of the city just yards from where a council bungalow has been lying vacant for almost a year.

Former Lord Mayor Mick Finn, who had asked the council to investigate the dumping, said he was saddened and angry at what the council cleansing crew discovered.

“I got an awful shock when I saw where this woman had been sleeping and the council crew got a shock too,” he said.

Several black bags of rubbish had been dumped on a green space against the walls of several homes near where the makeshift tent was erected.

When a cleansing crew was dispatched to remove the rubbish, they spotted the upturned Skippo Bag on top of a rug in a corner of the green.

They assumed the bag needed to be removed but when they lifted it, they were shocked to find a woman sleeping underneath it.

They alerted gardaí who put the woman in contact with homeless services.

To see this happening in a supposedly wealthy country is incredibly shocking.

“I just don’t think the seriousness of the homeless situation is getting through to the decision-makers in government”, Said Mr Finn.

Recent figures from Cork Simon showed that its outreach team met 577 men and women sleeping rough in 2023 — a 39% increase compared to 2022.

The team met an average of 30 people per night — a 135% increase.

Cork City Council has block-booked just over a dozen rooms in a city B&B ahead of the cold winter months.