The Cork Simon Community yesterday criticised the Government for failing to honour its commitments, after it emerged that it will have to raise €2 million because it will not receive promised funds in 2004.
According to the community it has been advised by local authority officials that the new year will not bring all the funds promised under the Government's Integrated Strategy on Homelessness.
Yesterday Cork Simon said the funding allocation for 2004 from Cork City Council is to stay at 2000 rates, so that it will have to raise double the funds of 2003 to keep pace with inflation.
"Unlike the Government Cork Simon Community intends to honour its commitments to homeless people," the community's director, Ms Colette Kelleher, said.
"We never before had to finding funding on the scale of €2 million, and it won't be easy. We need this kind of money to maintain and expand our current services to homeless people.
"We are simply not prepared to cut back on the support we offer to homeless people. This week in Cork city we are opening a temporary cold weather shelter so no one has to sleep out."
The community has invited the Health and Housing Ministers, Mr Martin and Mr Ahern, to visit Simon projects over the Christmas period.