This article is from page 15 of the 2009-03-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
A GROUP of volunteers and home- less people will camp out in Ennis this afternoon and tonight (Tuesday) to highlight the plight of the home- less in the county amid claims that the largest national provider of emer- gency accommodation for homeless men still refuses to recognise them.
Homeless Education Learning Project (HELP) was set up last year by local woman Josephine O’Brien and two others to provide support to the homeless in the town of En- nis. To date, the service has helped a number of Polish men and members of the Travelling community to find accommodation.
Ms O’Brien said yesterday, “It wouldn’t be fair to say that nothing is being done but not enough is being done for the homeless in Ennis or in County Clare. The biggest problem is the bureaucracy and the endless pro- cedures people have to go through to get help. Also, there is a huge lack of information and someone who has nowhere to sleep has no idea who to go to or who to contact.
‘No one wants to know the people we are dealing with, some of whom are foreign nationals. The people we deal with are the real homeless and no one wants to help them. We have been to the homeless forum at Clare County Council but they tell us that for someone to get accommodation they need a PPS number. But for someone to have a PPS number, they
have to have an address. It’s a catch- 22,’ Ms O’ Brien said.
Speaking about today’s planned ac- tion, Ms O’Brien said, “We are go- ing to camp out in the People’s Park near the Courthouse in Ennis today and tonight to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless in the county and the fact that not enough is being done to find places for them. There are about eight people sleeping on the streets in Ennis on any given night, while there are dozens more depending on friends and relatives on a night-to-night basis for some
place to sleep.”
According to Clare County Coun- cil’s Homeless Unit, “At present, emergency B&B accommodation may be provided where the accom- modation needs are immediate, acute and unforeseen. Assistance in sourc- ing private rented accommodation is given through the Homeless Unit.”