Tipperary council is providing night-time shelter for rough sleepers in Clonmel in winter months

Tipperary County Council is providing overnight emergency accommodation in Clonmel this winter for homeless people who sleep rough under a new pilot Cold Weather Initiative.

Council Housing Section Senior Executive Officer Cora Morrissey provided information on the Council’s pilot Cold Weather Initiative at Tipperary County Council’s January meeting in Clonmel.

She outlined how the council has set aside three Own Front Door houses in Clonmel for rough sleepers, who have a bed, showering facilities and food available to them.

The houses accommodate up to thirteen individuals and the shelter service operates from 9pm to 9am. Security is provided at the accommodation.

Ms Morrissey said this Cold Weather Initiative was a national response to ensuring the most vulnerable people have access to accommodation during the cold winter months.

She pointed out that the purpose of the pilot initiative is to ascertain the level of rough sleeping in the county, particularly in Clonmel, with a view to getting a permanent facility developed.

Clonmel Cllr Pat English of the Workers & Unemployment Action Group and Carrick-on-Suir Cllr David Dunne of Sinn Féin welcomed the Cold Weather Initiative at the meeting.

Cllr Dunne asked if separate “wet and dry” accommodation could be provided by which he meant could homeless people who don’t have a drug or alcohol addiction be accommodated separately form those who have such addictions.

“Some people just fall on hard times and need an emergency bed. If we had another alternative it would help in that situation,” he said.

The council’s Director of Housing Sinead Carr responded that Cllr Dunne’s request for separate “wet and dry” accommodation was reasonable.

She explained that the Council’s Housing Strategic Policy Committee was working out how the council can provide the best facilities to manage those needing such emergency accommodation and was looking at the funding options.