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Quarter of Simon Community Beds Occupied By Employed People

Heather Lawrie
Heather Lawrie

05:18 28 Jun 2023


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The Dublin Simon Community has revealed that a quarter of its beds are currently occupied by people in steady employment.

33 of the charity's 129 emergency beds were occupied by workers, on one night this month.

Workers include healthcare assistants, carers, construction workers, taxi drivers, social media content moderators, and retail staff.

It says it's seeing an increasing number of working people with nowhere to live.

Niamh Brennan, Senior Manager of Emergency Services at Dublin Simon Community, says it's particularly challenging for people who work shifts.

"We have health care assistance. We have security workers, taxi drivers, van lorry drivers, cleaning staff... construction workers. So it's a variety of different roles that people do hold. It can be quite tough. Our services are busy, so if the residents are working at night time, it can be quite difficult to get to sleep during the day."

A statement from Dublin Simon Community says:

"The growing phenomenon can be attributed to a constellation of factors, including the scarcity of suitable accommodation, soaring rents, the wider cost-of-living crisis, and notices to quit coming to the end of their term.

The individuals impacted reported attending viewings where hundreds of people were vying for the same room or property for rent. Single people are at a distinct disadvantage as they lack access to a combined income, making them even more susceptible to homelessness."

If you or anyone you know is being impacted by homelessness please contact:

Focus Ireland - Dublin Simon Community 

Peter McVerry Trust - Threshold


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