A 100-bed emergency hostel has reduced the number of rough-sleepers it will accommodate by more than 50 per cent three weeks before it is due to close.
The Brú Aimsir hostel in the Digital Hub on Thomas Street, Dublin, which opened in December as part of the cold weather initiative, was to close at the end of April as the Digital Hub would not renew the lease. Negotiations with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive resulted in an extension of the lease until May 30th.
However, sources within the political and homelessness sectors say that over the weekend the hostel was told to reduce its intake to 80 people per night, and last night to cut it further to 43 people per night. It is understood alternative beds have not been provided.
It is unclear why the capacity has been cut so far in advance of the facility’s closure.
During the night of the most recent rough-sleeper count, on April 24th, at least 102 people were sleeping on the capital’s streets. All emergency beds were full on the night.
Separately, another emergency hostel, the 42-bed St John’s Lane West hostel, which was due to close on Monday - is now to remain open until the end of June.
This follows negotiations between Focus Ireland, which owns the building; the Peter McVerry Trust, which jointly manages it with Focus; and the DRHE which has given assurances that alternative beds will be found elsewhere.
Neither the Digital Hub nor the DRHE was available to comment.
