A proposal to create a daytime support facility for people experiencing homelessness in Ennis is to be examined by Clare County Council and organisations working across the Mid-West.
The idea was raised by Mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle during a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, where councillors discussed the lack of a dedicated place in the town where people without stable housing can seek support during the day.
The proposal is not yet a commitment to establish a new centre. Instead, the council plans to raise the issue with the regional organisations involved in homelessness services and explore whether a suitable service can be developed.
Council open to examining proposal
Cllr Guilfoyle asked the council’s Executive team to bring together organisations involved in supporting people affected by homelessness.
The suggested participants include statutory bodies, homeless charities, outreach workers, addiction and mental health services and community volunteers.
Clare County Council’s Housing Team has indicated that it supports examining the possibility of a facility. The Clare Homeless Action Team has also previously identified a potential need for this type of service.
One of the immediate challenges is finding an appropriate premises.
The council has invited suggestions from organisations and other interested groups about locations that could potentially accommodate the service.
Regional agencies already working together
The proposal can be taken into an existing regional homelessness network rather than starting from scratch.
The Mid-West Regional Homeless Forum, chaired by Limerick City and County Council, already brings together organisations working across Clare and the wider region.
Its membership includes Clare County Council, the HSE, the Prison Service, the Probation Service, the Education and Training Board, the Department of Social Protection, the Regional Drugs Task Force, Tusla, ADAPT and approved housing bodies.
Clare County Council Senior Executive Officer Pádraig McCormaic said the proposal would be brought to the forum’s next meeting while options were explored.
Any project that progresses beyond that stage would require organisations involved to commit funding and resources over several years.
Councillors point to lack of daytime facilities
The discussion focused heavily on what happens to people who have accommodation at night but lack somewhere appropriate to spend the daytime.
Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua said homelessness can be difficult to see in the community, particularly where people are staying in temporary or bed-and-breakfast accommodation.
She highlighted circumstances where people may have to spend much of the day outside their accommodation.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Mary Howard also raised concerns about arrangements where access to accommodation is limited to particular hours.
She said a dedicated daytime service could offer people a secure environment where they could spend time, meet others and access basic support.
The proposed facility could also provide an opportunity for people to connect with services dealing with issues such as addiction, mental health and other difficulties associated with homelessness.
Homelessness can follow sudden life changes
Cllr Tom O’Callaghan, who supported the proposal, highlighted how quickly a person’s circumstances can change.
He referred to events including the breakdown of a relationship, bereavement and unemployment as examples of situations that can have serious consequences for someone’s housing and wider circumstances.
He said people who find themselves in difficulty need somewhere they can turn for assistance.
The councillors’ comments reflected a broader view that a daytime service would not simply provide somewhere to sit, but could also act as a point where people could connect with appropriate support.
No centre has been approved yet
Despite the support expressed at the meeting, Ennis does not yet have an approved daytime homeless drop-in centre.
The next step is to discuss the proposal through the Mid-West homelessness structures and investigate whether a suitable location and sustainable operating model can be found.
Long-term financing will also be necessary if the proposal advances.
Cllr Guilfoyle said the idea had emerged from discussions with organisations already involved in supporting people experiencing homelessness.
At the heart of the proposal, he said, is a straightforward problem: people experiencing homelessness may have nowhere to go during the day.
The council’s decision to explore the idea opens the door to further discussions, but a permanent daytime service in Ennis will depend on the availability of premises, funding and agreement between the agencies involved.
