Micheál Martin: 'Time has come' for garda vetting of homeless services

Concerns have been raised about the operation of homeless services following complaints the founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless charity

Inner City Helping Homeless has been mired in controversy since the death of its founder Anthony Flynn. The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said the charity "operated outside the scope of mainstream homeless services provided by local authorities".

The Taoiseach says that "the time has come" to ensure all those working in homeless services are Garda vetted.

Micheál Martin, speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, was replying to Social Democrat TD Cian O'Callaghan who had raised issues around Inner City Helping Homeless.

The charity has been mired in controversy since the death of its founder Anthony Flynn. Mr Flynn, who died in tragic circumstances last month, was under investigation by gardaí in relation to two alleged sexual assaults at the time of his death. 

In recent weeks, two more individuals have come forward with separate allegations. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE), the lead statutory body on homelessness in the capital, has called for the charity Inner City Helping Homeless to be dissolved.

Mr O'Callaghan called for vetting of "all services, and emergency accommodation for people experiencing homelessness, and not just some providers".

"In addition, services, and accommodation, people experiencing homelessness, must be inspected regularly to ensure compliance with the standards."

He called for a national quality standards framework for all volunteers, accommodations, and agencies. Mr Martin said it "is very important issue".

"The issues that have arisen surrounding that charity, Inner City Helping Homeless, do need to be examined," he said.

"I do understand that legal processes are ongoing in relation to the future of the organisation.

"They operated outside the scope of mainstream homeless services provided by local authorities, who are subject to minimum standards and that's an important point.

"There are a lot of accommodation providers and we have to be alert to new groups appearing overnight and that's an ongoing issue.

"They did receive statutory funding from the local authority for their homeless services and I think that issue will be raised with the charity regulator.

"The issue you raised around the garda vetting, I think the time has come to examine that issue."

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