Forty-three adults and four families in Donegal are availing of homeless support services from Donegal County Council.
The council’s homeless prevention service provides emergency accommodation vouchers and hostel beds to people who present as homeless.
Letterkenny has the largest number of clients receiving support at present, where 15 people are availing of vouchers and 11 are staying in the Colmcille Hostel, managed by the St. Vincent de Paul.
There are 15 people receiving support in both Inishowen and Donegal, as well as five in Glenties and one person from the Lifford-Stranorlar MD.
The figures were presented to county councillors at today’s special plenary meeting on housing in Lifford.
Cllr Declan Meehan commented: “The figures seem small when compared with the numbers across Ireland, but one is too many.”
Inishowen councillor Jack Murray called for emergency homeless accommodation in each of Donegal’s five municipal districts, as people in Inishowen currently have to move to hostels in Letterkenny or Bundoran.
“People that are already in an extremely vulnerable situation are now being moved further away,” Cllr Murray said.
He told the council that the lack of accommodation provision ignites tensions over housing provision in communities.
“Someone can say ‘you can accommodate these people, but you can’t accommodate me’ – it just inflames the situation,” Cllr Murray said.
“For many reasons, we have an obligation and a duty to have homeless accommodation in every municipal district.”
Donegal’s Homeless Prevention Coordinator, Linda McCann, said that, of those seeking homeless supports, over 50% declared mental health and or addiction issues, representing an increase on last year.
A lack of affordable private rental accommodation was also a major factor. Looking at Daft.ie, there are just 25 properties available to rent in the whole of the county. Soaring rents have made it challenging for any single person to find private rental accommodation.
Councillors heard that the council has established the role of a HAP placefinder to help those who are finding it difficult to get a tenancy under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. A Tenancy Sustainment Officer has also been implemented to help people keep their tenancies and develop independent living and tenancy skills.
The council also continues to work with Mental Health / Social Work Teams / HSE Addiction Services / White Oaks Rehab Centre / Donegal Domestic Violence Service while supporting service users.
