Fifty people, including eight children, are homeless in Donegal
Donegal County Council has released details of its continued commitment to helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness locally
Donegal County Council has revealed how it's currently supporting 50 people, including 8 children, in emergency accommodation across the county.
The local authority has released details of its continued commitment to helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness locally.
Recent enhancements to the emergency accommodation service model are, the council explains, part of a broader effort to improve the quality, oversight, and effectiveness of homeless supports, in line with the Homeless Action Plan for the North-West Region (2023-2028).
There are 32 individual men, nine individual women and three families, comprising three adults and eight children, being housed in emergency accommodation in Donegal.
During 2024, the council launched an expression of interest process to identify suitable providers of emergency accommodation. This initiative resulted in two providers being brought on board and they’re now operating centres on a pilot basis in Letterkenny and Bundoran. These centres are designed to offer enhanced accommodation options that are safe, supervised, and aligned to the needs of service users.
The council says it’s anticipated that additional centres will be commissioned over time to provide a wider geographical spread across the county.
This new approach builds on the previous model, with feedback from clients and other agencies, where clients were required to source their own emergency accommodation in private hostels or B&B type accommodation. This often proved challenging however, particularly during the traditional holiday periods or when large events were taking place within the county.
The revised approach provides a range of benefits, including: Improved quality and oversight of accommodation for individuals and families; Dedicated family-only accommodation to better meet the needs of children and parents; On-site supervision ensuring a safe and secure environment; Minimising antisocial behaviour by reducing inappropriate congregation of vulnerable groups; Better value for money, with agreed nightly rates; and Proactive support for service users through care plans and regular reporting.
In addition, these centres also provide a continental breakfast and access to wrap-around services to help individuals transition to long-term housing solutions.
The council's recently-appointed HAP Placefinder Officer will also be working closely with service users to help secure permanent accommodation and reduce the duration of stays in emergency centres.
The council says it’s focused on delivering a more structured and supportive service that prioritises dignity, safety, and outcomes for those in need.