Urgent calls to increase emergency accommodation capacity in Limerick
LIMERICK City and County Council (LCCC) has been urged to “urgently increase” the number of emergency accommodation spaces it operates.
The motion was submitted by Sinn Féin Limerick City North councillor Sharon Benson in response to the increase in homeless figures “ to record levels”
Speaking at the latest monthly meeting of the full council, Ms Benson said the figures “show no sign of abating” and that action needs to be taken at a local and national level.
“Official homeless figures issued by the Department of Housing show that there were over 13,000 people homeless, including almost 4,000 children,” Ms Benson said.
The motion was seconded by fellow Sinn Féin councillor Tom Collopy.
Social Democrats councillor for Limerick City West, Elisa O’Donovan fully supported the motion saying she gets a lot of calls from people who are “forced to sleep in shop fronts”.
She told the meeting that some of these people are going into Henry Street garda station or University Hospital Limerick just because they are “so desperate for some place warm”.
“This crisis is going to get worse coming into winter months, particularly in UHL you want to keep people away from hospital,” Ms O’Donovan said.
According to the local authority, emergency accommodation capacity has been increased in preparation for winter.
“In September 2023, the council had capacity for 137 singles and as of November 24, there is capacity for 159,” Mary Hayes, senior executive officer for LCCC said.
The council has confirmed it will increase its emergency accommodation capacity when there is a cold or an extreme weather warning.