WATCH: Limerick homeless shelters 'to remain open 24-hours at least another month'

THE HSE has provided funding to ensure two homeless facilities in Lord Edward Street can remain open until at least July 16.

It comes following meetings between the health service and Novas and Limerick City and County Council towards the end of last week.

Residents had been fearful the emergency night shelter, colloquially known as the 9-9, would have reverted back to being 12 hours only after June 16, as the threat of Covid-19 recedes.

But now, the service says the service will remain open to "secure an appropriate solution for these most vulnerable people."

Residents of the facilities had staged an unannounced protest outside the HSE's offices in Catherine Street this Monday morning.

The health service had provided extra funding to allow the Tep centres to open around-the-clock to ensure those using them did not have to face the streets during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Councillors Sharon Benson, John Costelloe and Frankie Daly joined the protest this Monday.

Cllr Benson, who saw a motion passed at council calling for the 24/7 operation of the facility, said: "I've been pushing this since last November. We were promised there'd be a solution found and as of yet, there has not been any. What the pandemic has shown is the benefits of 24 hour accommodation. Some of these guys have gotten jobs, and a lot more people are going back to education in September. That would not be possible if they were walking around the streets 12 hours a day."

Councillor Costelloe added: "People are dying - we've seen two deaths in Limerick in the last month. It's about time the authorities woke up to this endemic. It's not good enough for government to be spending X amount of money, but it's not coming down to fund services here. We have people with mental illnesses, physical disabilities, family disabilities."

One of the Tep occupants Mikey Hayes, from Askeaton, said: "We are entitled to have a roof over our head. It's keeping us all out of trouble. Everyone's been able to get jobs. I'm going back to doing caretaker course, and if I was to walk 12 hours every day, that would not happen."

Limerick Council declined to comment.

Novas's director of policy Dr Una Burns thanked the HSE for its intervention.

She said: "We appreciate the HSE took our concerns on board, and particularly the clients that live in Tep on board. We are really pleased they've agreed to extend it by another month, and we will work with the HSE and the local council to come to a more long-term resolution in terms of providing more holistic care and support to the clients who live there."