Closure threat at homeless hostel

A homeless shelter for alcohol and drug users is threatened with closure in three months if alternative accommodation cannot be found.

The "low-threshold" shelter, operated by the Society of St Vincent de Paul in conjunction with the London-based Depaul Trust, opened nine weeks ago in the now-vacant Clancy Barracks in Dublin.

While most other hostels only accommodate people either under 18 or over 35, this one offers accommodation and support to people aged 18 to 35.

What makes it critically different, however, is the fact that it accepts people with drug and alcohol problems, even tolerating people being under their influence on the premises.

At a most basic level, explains Ms Una Barry, deputy chief executive of the Depaul Trust, the hostel promises "somewhere safe, clean, warm to sleep at night, a hot meal and the chance to link in with other services".

"These are young people who otherwise would be sleeping rough and who would find it almost impossible to break free of their chaotic lifestyles."

Its 22 beds are full every night. At first the young residents were referred to the Clancy hostel by groups working with rough sleepers, notably Focus Ireland and the Dublin Simon Community. People also now come under their own initiative, though preference is given to those who were there the previous night. This is to encourage and prioritise those showing a commitment to stabilising their lives, says Ms Barry.

"Robbie" (25), from Clondalkin, Dublin, has been staying at the Clancy hostel for the past six weeks. A heroin user since he was 20, he has been homeless "for about a year".

"My dad's a businessman and my mam's a housewife. I spent a lot of time in and out of residential treatment centres but I just relapsed each time.

"Last time I relapsed my family just couldn't cope so I left them in peace and came into town.

"I was sleeping around Grafton Street, didn't know what to do so one lad showed me the ropes, directed me to Focus Ireland and they told me this hostel was opening up."

The enthusiastic young man says he has been trying "so hard and for so long" (over a year) to get on a methadone maintenance programme and feels he will succeed in "getting off drugs if I get a programme now".

"Having this place," he says of the hostel, "I can concentrate on getting my life together and not be worrying about where I'm going to sleep or about getting attacked."

He wouldn't go to other hostels "because they search you before you go in, always look down on you".

"Robbie" is fairly typical of the Clancy residents, says Ms Barry. A quick survey found the majority had been sleeping rough for at least a year, up to 92 per cent had drug and/or alcohol problems and the majority - 88 per cent - were men.

If it were to close, says Ms Barry, "this most vulnerable, marginalised group, with whom we are having definite success, would be back sleeping rough on the streets".

Clancy hostel faces closure at the end of June. The space is leased to Dublin Corporation by the Department of Defence on a three-monthly basis while a buyer is sought for the barracks.

The lease was extended for another three months. However, the Department of Defence confirmed yesterday that when a buyer was found the lease would be terminated.

In the meantime, Dublin Corporation is seeking a permanent base.