A health board decision to close down six emergency beds for homeless children in the Dublin area has sparked a row with childcare and social workers.
The number of emergency beds for young homeless in the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) has dropped from 23 to 17 as part of a "reconfiguration" of crisis intervention services.
However, Mr Gerry Dolan of IMPACT, which represents childcare and social workers, said the bed closures would narrow options for homeless children just weeks ahead of the Christmas holidays. Demand for emergency places often increases at this time, he said.
"The social workers who used these beds were happy they were a good temporary placement for crisis situations. This leaves us with fewer options and with a large city-centre hostel which we feel is not appropriate for young, vulnerable people," he said.
"The timing of this is regrettable, especially at Christmas, which can be a period of turmoil for children."
A spokesman for Dublin's Northern Area Health Board said the ERHA and area health boards were implementing the findings of a report which recommended that the practice of accommodating overnight and longer-term placements in the same unit should be discontinued.
He said four of the six beds would remain in the system for short- to medium-term use, while the other two would be removed to comply with the requirements of the National Standards for Children's Residential Units.
He added that, while nightly activity fluctuated, the average number of vacant beds in the crisis intervention service over the last weeks was 12.
Father Peter McVerry, a campaigner for young homeless, said he agreed with the ending of the practice of housing emergency and longer-term placements together, but expressed concern at the lack of information regarding services for homeless children.
"We get no information on how many young people are accessing emergency accommodation, how many are placed, how many are not placed," he said.
