The Mercy Law Resource Centre, a Dublin-based organization, offers free legal advice and representation for individuals facing homelessness. With a small team, they advocate for clients who are denied emergency accommodation, addressing systemic issues in dealing with local authorities.
Concerns have been raised about the increasing difficulty for homeless individuals to access emergency shelters, leading to overcrowded homes or even rough sleeping. The center’s solicitor, Kate Heffernan, highlights the legal challenges faced by clients being refused emergency accommodation by local authorities.
Despite the Department of Housing’s provision of funding for homeless services, there is still reported reluctance to provide additional emergency accommodation places for those in need. The Mercy Law Resource Centre emphasizes the need for better training for local authority staff to handle homelessness assessments effectively.
Sinn Féin’s Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has called attention to the strain on homeless service providers, describing the emergency accommodation system as at “breaking point”. Increasing the supply of housing is seen as crucial to helping households exit homelessness.