The homelessness problem in Cork is palpable, because any night in the city unfortunate street dwellers can be seen hunched under cardboard boxes or blankets. It would be even more obvious were it not for the work of the Simon Community, whose volunteers go out in all weathers and conditions to bring what relief they can.
Last month 111 males and 23 females were homeless and they are only the ones Simon has come across. Each night Simon turns away at least 20 people. The success of the "Celtic tiger" has been a dream come true for the landlords who own most of the private rented accommodation, but it is proving a nightmare for organisations like Simon.
Recently, says Ms Patricia McAllister, director of Simon in Cork, a young man was sent with the backing of the organisation to sign a lease on an apartment which had been advertised in the local newspaper. When he got there were 39 other applicants queueing. "That kind of thing is crushing us; we have no hope against it," she said.
The Cork Simon Community is now looking to the corporate sector for help. It has just started the Cork Simon homeless foundation which aims to raise £5 million over five years. The project was announced recently at the offices of the Cork Chamber of Commerce. It was a further step, Ms McAllister said, in formalising the partnership between business and Simon.
At present Simon runs a shelter for 43 people at Anderson's Quay which offers accommodation for up to three months. It has two residential houses, providing accommodation for a further 15 people, and it has 15 single apartments as well as a cold-weather shelter for 12 people who can find a roof for the night and a meal plus breakfast the following morning before moving on again.
In the past two years homelessness in Cork has increased by 40 per cent, a figure, says Simon, which sits uneasily against all the good news coming from the Exchequer. As things stand, Simon receives a subvention of £14 per person per night from Cork Corporation. It has 50 staff and 140 volunteers and will be in the red to the tune of £250,000 at the end of the year.