Teenagers sleep on the streets of Dublin because most hostels refuse to take young people with drug problems, Father Peter McVerry said yesterday.
"There are loads of 14-yearolds sleeping on the streets, said Father McVerry, who works with homeless boys. The situation was getting worse and adults could no longer count on getting a bed for the night either, he said.
"Last night I came across a fellow sleeping in a laneway and the temperature was below zero."
The problem was not simply a matter of resources, he said. "A lot of the young people have a drug problem and very few hostels are willing to take them. You can have hostels with beds empty and kids sleeping on the streets."
Health boards, when renegotiating contracts with hostels, should channel the largest share of resources to those which were willing to cater to young people with drug problems, he said.
As part of that package, however, the waiting list for detoxification of addicts would have to be eliminated. Young people seeking accommodation from him tell him they cannot get into a detoxification programme for three months, he said.
Father McVerry said he has started a small detoxification unit to help tackle the problem. The unit is not recognised by the health board, he said, and he expects to have to fundraise to keep it going.
A 15-year-old boy is to appear before the Children's Court in Dublin today after spending two nights in a Garda station. He was arrested on a warrant on Saturday when he was found sleeping in a car.
A 22-year-old man who was with him has been remanded in custody.
The boy was remanded to Oberstown Boys' Centre in Lusk, Co Dublin, but was turned away because the centre did not have a place for him. Gardai returned to court on Saturday night to have the remand order changed.
Mr Justice Windle refused to change the order and he was brought back to Oberstown, where he was refused admission. He spent the rest of the night in Irishtown Garda station and was expected to spend last night there as well, pending today's court appearance.