Old Meath Hospital to be used for emergency homeless

The Meath Hospital in Dublin, which closed in June 1998, is to be partially reopened as emergency accommodation for homeless children, a spokesman for the South West Area Health Board has confirmed.

The spokesman said the board was "planning to use a small part of the Meath Hospital campus on a short-term basis to meet the current demands for additional beds and supports for homeless young people".

He said the move was part of the Minister for Health and Children's strategy on youth homelessness and it was hoped the first children would be accommodated there "within the next few weeks".

Though it is unclear how many children the facility will be called upon to house, it is understood it will "take the overspill" from established centres. Social workers in the area have been asked to estimate how many children they wish to have sent there. It is estimated there are between 50 and 100 people under the age of 18 sleeping rough in the capital on any night. About 50 per cent are female.

In July, the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, told the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) the measures recommended in the report from the Forum on Youth Homelessness - which was published in April - should be in place by September. He said he wanted to see major advances in tackling youth homelessness by the end of this year.

Last week the ERHA appointed a new Director of Youth Homelessness, Ms Alice O'Flynn. Advertisements for childcare workers have been placed in the media in recent weeks by the authority ,and it is envisaged the Meath Hospital facility will provide counselling and a rehousing advice service as well as care and accommodation.

Focus Ireland has criticised the Minister for not establishing an independent board to monitor services aimed at homeless youths.

The ERHA has opened a number of facilities at the Meath Hospital since it bought the site from the Meath Foundation last year, for £10.75 million. The hospital was incorporated into Tallaght Hospital, along with the Adelaide Hospital and the National Children's Hospital in Harcourt Street.

Around the time of the move to Tallaght, some medical staff were critical of the standard of accommodation in the Meath. Consultant geriatrician Dr Des O'Neill said the ward where he had treated elderly patients was "like the black hole of Calcutta". It is understood the facility has been refurbished for the accommodation of young homeless people.