‘Disgraceful’ conditions at Waterford homeless shelter which is ‘wholly unfit for purpose’

There are “disgraceful” conditions at a homeless shelter in County Waterford which is “wholly unfit for purpose”, a council meeting has heard.

Several councillors spoke on the subject of homelessness at the April plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.

Sinn Féin councillor Catherine Burke spoke about the impact that homelessness can have on the development of young children.

Cllr Burke said: “While emergency accommodation provides a roof over people’s heads, we must be honest about the reality of what a child growing up in these conditions goes through.

“Many families are living in a single room with no space to play, no privacy, no sense of normal routine.

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“Children are trying to do homework on beds, sharing tight spaces with siblings and growing up without the stability that every child deserves.

“It has a real and lasting effect. It impacts their education, their emotional well-being, their confidence, their ability to simply be children.

“Something as simple as having a friend over to play, celebrating a birthday or having a quiet place to sleep and study. They’re not luxuries, they’re part of a healthy childhood.”

She continued by questioning whether the council is doing enough to address the problem. She also outlined a number of steps the council could take to alleviate the issues.

“I’m asking that this council does everything within its power to support families who are homeless and living in emergency accommodation to ensure they can live with dignity and that their children have a chance at a healthy childhood.

“There are also practical steps we can take immediately. For example, allowing families in emergency accommodation to stay overnight with relatives or friends or admitting visitors to the common areas of their accommodation.”

Cllr Burke concluded by highlighting the sort of positive impact that such changes might have in the lives of homeless children.

“These small but meaningful changes would help restore a sense of normality, connection and support for families who are already under immense pressure.

“No child should grow up feeling excluded, isolated or different because of their housing situation. We have a responsibility to do better and to act with urgency and compassion.”

In response, Director of Services Seamus De Faoite said he agreed and concurred with nearly everything that Cllr Burke had touched on.

Mr De Faoite stated: “To have one family in homeless accommodation is nearly one too many.

“To give you the perspective at the moment, there are 24 families in homeless accommodation. Now that is down from 33 at the same time last year, so I suppose there is progress being made.

“We’re looking at other ways we can work with these families and again, the roof over their head is only one such issue. There are a lot of other issues here going on.”

He concluded by emphasising the importance of having proper supports in place and added that the council will look at the issue of common areas.

Later in the meeting, Fianna Fáil councillor Jason Murphy expressed concern over the adequacy of one Waterford homeless shelter.

Cllr Murphy said: “As far as I understand, the men are primarily provided for in McGuire House on Bath Street which is an adequate facility, a modern facility.

“But young families and young women are provided homeless services in the Sands Hotel in Tramore, which I think is wholly unfit for purpose.

“I think every councillor in this room has either been in that hotel or seen images of that hotel and the conditions they live in, I have to say, are disgraceful.”

He told the meeting that the council’s lease on the building was due to expire on March 30 and that it was intended that homeless services would move elsewhere.

Cllr Murphy continued: “Many of the young women and young families in the Sands Hotel are there because they’ve come over from Oasis House.

“Oasis House, as people will know, is a refuse for women and families who have been suffering from domestic and indeed in some cases sexual abuse and very vulnerable people.

“I think it’s behove on this council that we get our skates on as much as we can to close down the Sands Hotel and find an area that’s much more fit for purpose for homeless people and people in very vulnerable situations.”

In response, Mr De Faoite said that Cllr Murphy was right in saying that the council’s contract at the Sands Hotel had expired.

He stated: “Our contract has expired but in fairness, we are working with the service provider there in Tramore.

“Of course, it’s very important to point out that this council here is committed to moving the service back into the city.

“All steps are being taken to do that over the next few weeks and months. That is happening. The important thing here is that proper services are in place for these people.

“Ultimately, it’s one thing to say you’re moving a person that has a roof over their head in Tramore and moving them back into the city. But again, it’s important that the correct support structures are in place for those people.”

He added that the council hopes that the moving of homeless services for women and children back into the city will be “as seamless as possible”.

Meanwhile, independent councillor Joe Kelly enquired as to whether the number of homeless people in Waterford had increased or decreased in recent times.

He detailed how he believed how councillors were told at a recent workshop that the homeless figures haven’t increased, which he found “strange”.

Cllr Kelly asked for clarification as to whether Waterford was “bucking the national trend”.

In response, Mr De Faoite clarified that the number of adults presenting as homeless in February of this year was 112.

This represents an increase of two people on the same month last year. However, as pointed out to Cllr Burke earlier in the meeting, there was a decrease of 9 families in homeless accommodation during the same period.

Sinn Féin councillor Joeanne Bailey said that to have 24 families in emergency accommodation was “absolutely disgraceful”.

She also questioned whether the figure was accurate, given the possibility of “hidden homelessness”, with people sleeping in spare rooms and on couches.

Cllr Bailey went on to enquire as to what homeless services are available for people living outside Waterford city.

She stated: “I’d like to know how many units are outside the metro area for temporary emergency accommodation.

“If someone in Comeragh or Dungarvan presents as homeless, where do they actually go?

“At the moment we talk about the Sands Hotel and emergency accommodation in the city, but what happens to the people in Dungarvan? What is the plan going forward?

“Look it, it’s a bad situation. We don’t want any family or person homeless but it does happen.

“So uprooting a full family or any individual out of Tramore, Dungarvan or the Comeragh area - there has to be a plan in place across the city and county and I’d like to know what that plan is going forward.”

In response to Cllr Bailey, Mr De Faoite said that the council does not want to keep houses empty on the basis that someone might present themselves as homeless.

He said that at the moment, anyone in County Waterford looking to present as homeless must go into the council’s offices in the city.

However, Mr De Faoite added that the council has previously had a staff member in Dungarvan for the same purpose.

He concluded that the council may look to do that again if the need arises.