Reverse the decision to cease providing emergency accommodation for homeless people in Kildare

The Mid-Kildare Homeless Project was formed by the late Michael Garry to respond to a need to provide emergency accommodation for people who found themselves homeless in the Kildare region. The project group reformed into a "special works' conference group becoming part of the Society of the St. Vincent de Paul in 1993. After years of tireless work and planning the Michael Garry Hostel for the Homeless was opened in 1997.

The demand on the hostel's services grew quickly to the extent that larger premises were required. This was acquired and so, improved and extended emergency accommodation was provided for the growing number of people needing the service.

The hostel provided accommodation on a nightly basis, every night of the year. Services included a safe, comfortable & clean place to sleep; full meals; shower & laundry facilities; support and medical referral services were provided if needed. In addition the hostel also provided support to people who were at one stage homeless and had become re homed and to those who were identified as being at risk of losing their homes. The hostel staff, which consisted of 2 permanent employees and 6 FAS CE workers, along with a group of approximately 20 volunteers were responsible for delivering the services on a day to day basis.

The people who benefited from and need the services are people who find themselves homeless for a variety of different reasons. Men, women and children need to use the the hostel as a result of eviction, because of domestic violence and other crisis situations where they have to flee or leave their homes. Until now, for the past 17 years the hostel has provided a place of refuge for, on average 8 to 10 people every night. During all these years there has not been a single incident that has compromised the safety or welfare of either staff, volunteers or residents. All who have had reason to use the hostel or indeed all who visit the hostel for the first time are very pleasantly surprised by the genuine homely and welcoming atmosphere.

The Michael Garry Hostel for the Homeless was established with the very generous support of the local community. This support has continued and strengthened over the past 17 years with the people of Kildare clearly recognising that the hostel was providing a vital service.

At national level the St. Vincent de Paul Society has taken the decision to stop providing emergency accommodation for people who find themselves homeless in Kildare. This decision was made without consulting with the founding members of the homeless project or the local community. The 2 permanent staff members have been made redundant and the CE workers will no longer be employed there. The hostel is to be divided into 3 units in order to house 3 families on a medium to long term basis. There is no doubt that an ongoing need exists to provide housing to families on a medium to long term basis. The SVP owns over 40 properties in the Kildare region that could be adapted for this use. The need for emergency homeless accommodation is a separate issue.

The changing of the use of the hostel means that anyone who finds themselves in a crisis situation will no longer have the hostel as a place of refuge. This will inevitably mean that there will be men, women and children in the Kildare region who will, once again be forced to stay in dangerous situations and/or sleep rough.