Homeless families ‘may lose hotel housing over bank holiday’

Homeless families living in hotels in Dublin face a scramble for accommodation this bank holiday weekend, a homelessness charity has said.

Anthony Flynn, from Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH), said the charity's office was dealing with a number of homeless people and families who risk being forced to leave their accommodation in hotels and B&Bs this weekend due to the influx of visitors to the capital.

Among the events expected to draw visitors this August Bank Holiday is the sell-out All-Ireland quarter-final day at Croke Park.

Mr Flynn said that, on Wednesday night, the charity had to help a woman and her three children who had lost their place in a city hotel.

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Mr Flynn said the family was at risk of having to report to a Garda station, but the organisation managed to secure them a room in a hostel on Gardiner Street.

He said the family were worried they will lose their accommodation again as they head into the bank holiday weekend.

According to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive website, 794 families with 1,592 dependents were housed in hotels in May.

Figures for June have still not been made available by the Department of Housing.

‘Not sustainable’

Mr Flynn said the same issues were arising every busy weekend in the capital and that putting homeless people and families in hostels and hotels was not sustainable.

“Every time the bank holiday comes around in Dublin or there’s a big concert or match on, rooms become unavailable to the council and then the council have to try and sort people out,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is homeless people are being put out of hotel rooms this weekend because of the bank holiday. Hotels have these rooms booked far in advance by guests, so they are told to leave.

“I have serious concerns about this weekend and we will be inundated with homeless people and families who are stuck.

“When you’re sitting in the office here at night-time and three kids and their mother come in and wonder where they’re going to stay for the night - it’s concerning,” he said.