VOLUNTARY agencies were expecting more people to have a night on the streets last night as a result of yesterday's industrial action by community welfare officers in Dublin.
However, there was widespread support from the voluntary sector for the 16 workers who are protesting about conditions in their West Charles Street offices and attacks on staff.
The director of the Dublin Simon Community, Mr Greg Maxwell, said that all the Dublin hostels were full. And the shelter had already seen an increase in numbers yesterday.
An average of 30 people a night are looking for a bed, he said. There could be people ending up on the streets tonight, not because there was no bed but because the Eastern Health Board was not in a position to offer a full range of services.
Ms Alice Leahy from the Trust shelter said a lot of people who came to her shelter had had frightening experiences at the office. "Some of the people would have been robbed there. We're very supportive of the staff and generally the health board doesn't put enough emphasis on the rights of its workers."
The director of the Irish Refugee Council, Ms Nadette Foley, said the office was the second port of call for refugees arriving in Ireland. Ms Foley described the Charles Street office as "a nasty filthy hole". She said refugees needed to have a separate facility from other homeless people.
Yesterday evening people queued on the steps of the office as they issued health board cheques and tried to find accommodation for people.
