No Funding For New Dublin Homeless Services

People working with the homeless have expressed concern after it emerged that no funding will be made available to establish new homeless services this year.

The Health Service Executive has told the Homeless Agency that no development funding will be allocated to it.

The Homeless Agency, which distributes the funds to service providers, has said decisions on new projects have now been deferred indefinitely.

A number of applications for funding for homeless services were made to the Homeless Agency as part of the 2007 call for new and expanded services.

The Dublin Simon Community said it knows of 60 such applications from NGOs that will now not receive any funding.

In a statement, the charity asks how the Government’s policy to end long-term homelessness by 2010 can be fulfilled when there is to be no funding available for additional supports.

The HSE has said it is undertaking a review along with the Homeless Agency into how funding is best utilised in the sector.

It says the review will be concluded over the course of this year and points out that it currently allocates €33m for homeless services.