Number sleeping rough in Dublin falls, survey finds

THE NUMBER of people sleeping rough in Dublin has fallen. However, physical and mental health issues of those sleeping rough are increasingly complex and demanding, two reports published today indicate.

In addition, a higher proportion of the population is from outside Ireland and outside the EU.

The reports are the Homeless Agency's annual Winter Rough Sleeper Countand the Dublin Simon Community's Health Audit.

The rough-sleeper count totalled the people sleeping rough across the four local authority areas of Dublin between 1am and 5am on a specific night last month.

It found 60 people sleeping outdoors, including 51 men, six women and three whose gender could not be determined.

This compares with 98 people found sleeping rough in a similar count in April, 104 sleeping rough last November, 115 in April 2008 and 104 in November 2007. The count is carried out each spring and winter.

Of those who gave details about their nationality last month, 23 were Irish or presumed Irish, seven were Polish, nine were from other EU states, eight were from outside the EU, and 13 were unknown. Some 42 were sleeping rough in the north city centre, 38 in the south city area, seven were found in public parks, five were found in the southeast area of the canals and six were found in other areas outside the canals.

“On the night of the count in the four local authority areas, there was sufficient capacity to accommodate the number of persons discovered and observed to be sleeping rough,” the count report says.

Cathal Morgan, director of the Homeless Agency, described the figures as “encouraging”.

Given the announcement last week by Minister of State for Housing Michael Finneran that 2010 funding for homelessness services would be maintained at 2009 levels, he said the commitment to eliminating rough sleeping by the end of next year could be achieved.

Mr Morgan added: “We need to better understand the profile of people who remain sleeping rough, as there is an increase in the number of people from outside the EU. We need to ensure their needs are met.”

The annual health audit of people accessing services operated by the Dublin Simon Community shows over 61 per cent have one or more diagnosed physical health conditions and 40 per cent had at least one diagnosed mental health issue. More than half (55 per cent) of the 300 service users surveyed between October 27th and November 2nd were in receipt of the disability allowance.

The audit highlights the complexities of homelessness “which cannot be underestimated”, said Sam McGuinness, chief executive of Dublin Simon, “Crucial to addressing homelessness is quality accommodation. However, just as important are the appropriate supports to combat complex needs such as mental health, physical health, addictions, education and life skills.”

The most common diagnosed mental health issue was depression (23 per cent), followed by anxiety and schizophrenia (14 per cent and 12 per cent respectively).

Of those surveyed, 66 per cent consumed alcohol – 43 per cent regularly. Drug use was also extensive, with 56 per cent users of one or more drugs. The most commonly used was heroin (36 per cent). Methadone and benzodiazepines are also widely used, both prescribed and non-prescribed.

“The extensive use of alcohol and substance abuse has both cause and consequence connotations in relation to the numerous physical and mental health implications,” the audit report says.

Alan's story

Alan (32) from Belfast is sitting, with a grey sleeping bag over his knees, on the pavement outside Topshop, in St Stephen's Green, at about 9pm.

He's "tapping" (begging), a cardboard coffee-cup on his knees, and tells how he sleeps in a car-park behind offices on nearby Baggot Street. He's been in Dublin since May. "I had to leave Belfast, got into a bit of bother there. I was promised painting work here and I got two days' work before the fella laid everyone off."

He had enough money for a hostel for a few nights, but has been on the streets since. He has no friends or family here, he says, and being from outside the State is entitled to neither housing nor welfare payments.

"I've been hassling James's Street social welfare office since May but nothing." His case has been taken up by Dublin Simon advocacy service and he is hoping to get some emergency payment at some stage. "Some people are generous. One guy handed me a €50 note there last week. You can be out hours and get €8, and then in the next half hour get €40 .

"My parents live in Toronto. They know I'm in Dublin but they think I'm doing fine. I can't go back to Belfast. Hopefully if I can something sorted with payments I'll be able to get a place."

Among others out on Tuesday last week was Martin (28) from Slovakia, crouched on the pavement outside Peploes restaurant, also on St Stephen's Green. He told how he came to Ireland last year and had a job in a shop "near Heuston Station".

"After that I lost job." He has slept rough but now has a flat which costs him €60 a week. He too is not entitled to welfare payments. According to the Department of Social and Family Affairs's "habitual residency clause" rule, a person has to be resident in the State for two years before being entitled to any welfare payment.

In a laneway off Dawson Street, Mark, a Traveller, says he is 19 but looks to be in his late 20s. He says he is just out of Wheatfield Prison and has been homeless for "years". "I had a bit of a mishap, got into drugs and my family disowned me." He appears to be under the influence of drugs as we speak.

He is having trouble sleeping. "I don't know what it is. There's noise all the time. I can't get away from the noise. I think I am going have to get a bag of gear to get some sleep."

The Dublin Simon rough sleeper team say addiction is a huge issue among the city's rough-sleepers. A lack of addiction treatment services across the State is attracting people to Dublin, where they believe accessing treatment will be easier. Treatment services in the capital are "bursting at the seams already" according to one member of Simon who spoke to The Irish Times. Added to that addicts arriving in the capital are deemed to have made themselves "voluntarily homeless" and are unlikely to be entitled to housing.