ONE OF Dublin's biggest homeless service providers has recorded an increase of almost 50 per cent in the number of people sleeping rough and in need of support during the first half of this year.
Dublin Simon says the homelessness problem is worsening as a result of a lack of emergency beds and rising demand for services.
Chief executive of Dublin Simon Community Sam McGuinness said there was a vital need to invest in additional appropriate accommodation."Working at the coalface of homelessness, we have seen an increased demand on our services. In the current economic climate we would plead to the Government that the upcoming budget cannot be a time to further punish those on the margins of society," he said.
It has recorded a 48 per cent increase in the number of people seeking the services of its rough-sleeper team up to June this year, compared to the same period last year.
The pattern of rising demand for services is reflected across other homeless service providers across the city who say they are struggling to cope with a sharp increase in the numbers looking for accommodation.
However, there has been widespread criticism over funding shortages which have delayed dozens of new services aimed at easing the homeless problem, especially in the field of longer-term accommodation plans.
Some projects have come on-stream in recent times. For example, the Dublin Simon Community, working closely with Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, have opened two night shelters. These shelters have provided an extra 28 emergency beds.
The Government has pledged that no homeless person will have to sleep rough or remain longer than six months in emergency accommodation within the next two years under its new five-year strategy to tackle homelessness.
The strategy promises to place greater emphasis on preventative measures, such as supporting at-risk groups, including young people leaving care, families in crisis and people with mental health problems.
Yet there is widespread frustration that detailed implementation plans for the strategy will not be ready until December and there is no guarantee that funding needed to implement it will be available.
Dublin Simon's annual report also points to developments in the area of homelessness and drugs.
It has developed a needle exchange programme in conjunction with the Health Service Executive, which offers advice on safe needle use, referral into addiction services, exchange, needle packs, and referral into accommodation. Its annual report includes photographs taken by service users who participated in a photography class. "This is a perfect example of how people's perception of those who have experienced, or are experiencing, homelessness is distorted," Mr McGuinness said.
"Those that participated in the photography course are talented and courageous people who prove that people who have experienced homelessness have the same talents, needs and rights as anyone else," he added.