Cold weather plan: Low temperatures trigger emergency response for rough sleepers

An additional 40 emergency beds have been opened in Dublin to ensure anyone sleeping rough can access shelter.

Met Éireann has issued a cold weather advisory which is in place until 10.30pm on Friday. With current temperatures expected to remain as low as zero degrees at night for the rest of the week the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) confirmed it had triggered its “extreme weather emergency protocol” in addition to the annual cold weather strategy which has been in place since the end of last year.

This includes opening 40 extra beds in addition to the 330 extra beds opened as part of the cold weather strategy. All emergency accommodation providers are now open 24 hours a day, ensuring people do not have to leave during the day.

Dr Austin O’Carroll, director of the Granby clinic which provides medical care to homeless people, said there had been a “surge in viral infections” among the homeless population in recent weeks, adding that cold weather weakened immune systems.

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He said the centre, which had four doctors on duty every morning, was seeing “about 80 patients a day”. Of particular concern would be the risk of hypothermia and pneumonia in coming days.

The housing first intake team, which targets the most hard-to-reach people sleeping outdoors, will increase both its staffing numbers out on the streets and hours of operation this week, said a DRHE spokeswoman.

The cold weather strategy notes the increased services provided through winter months give an opportunity to engage with people who are sleeping out and encourage them into services in a way that might not be available in the spring and summer. “Enhanced services operating for this cold weather period include the Dublin street outreach service provided by the Dublin Simon Community,” it notes. “The team provides a service 7am to 1am Monday to Friday and 9am to 1am Saturday and Sunday.”

A mobile health clinic, operated by Safetynet, delivers services on Tuesday and Thursday nights and every second Friday morning with the Dublin outreach teams. It targets a primary healthcare service at homeless people and particularly entrenched rough sleepers.

The most recent data, published last month, found 118 individuals were sleeping rough in Dublin. The count, conducted between November 6th and November 12th, found about a third were women (35 per cent) and just under 40 per cent were using tents. The majority (82 per cent) were “associated with” one of the four Dublin local authorities.

Anyone who is concerned about a person sleeping rough is asked to contact the DRHE and the housing first intake team at 01 872 0185, via the free app Dublin city Rough Sleeper Alerts, or at the website Report a Rough Sleeper – Homeless Dublin

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