New homeless accommodation for Tipperary will not operate as a 9–9 hostel
Planned new homeless accommodation for west Tipperary will not operate as a 9–9 hostel, with residents instead living there on a full-time basis, it has been confirmed.
At the December meeting of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District, Fine Gael councillor John Crosse raised the issue of the new homeless accommodation in Tipperary town, which is progressing.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Crosse said that there was a lot of fear in the town as a result of misinformation that was circulating about the council’s plans to set up emergency homeless accommodation in the town.
"There’s a bit more information needed on the facility that the housing section are proposing for Tipperary town, I know that there is a lot of misinformation out there and I’d like if the housing section would clarify the position in relation to it,” Cllr Crosse said.
At the December full county council meeting, it was confirmed that Tipperary County Council have gone sale agreed on a building in the town to be used as emergency homeless accommodation.
At the monthly district meeting, representatives from the council’s housing section confirmed that the accommodation would not be in the form of a 9-9, but would be a different model for those who are homeless.
"At present, the high priority for Tipperary town is for an own-front-door type of accommodation, that is not a 9-9 hostel-type accommodation, it’s most acute for single people in the town,” councillors were told.
A 9-9 service is a form of emergency accommodation that offers people who are homeless a bed in a hostel from 9pm to 9am.
"At present we’re working with the approved housing bodies (AHBs), and I can confirm at this point that a property has been identified and that the AHB and the council are undertaking due diligence and legals, and therefore the sale has not closed yet.”
As the sale hasn’t been completed, the council said they can’t disclose information about the property’s location or the timeframe for the accommodation being operational.
It is understood that the facility would provide accommodation for six or seven people from the area that are on the local authority’s social housing list.
“If the sale does proceed, the property will provide own-front-door type accommodation, as distinct from hostel-type accommodation for a small number of single people,” councillors were told.
Cllr Crosse added that businesses in Tipperary town have concerns about how the facility would be run, and called for a meeting with local business owners to take place as soon as possible.
"There will be a meeting with businesspeople in Tipperary town, more than likely after Christmas, because there is a lot of concern about how this facility would work, and a lot of misinformation, and I’d like the council to clear that up,” Cllr Crosse said.
"We need to make sure that there’s no other negative spin off from it,” the Fine Gael councillor added.
In response, a representative from the council’s housing section said that they would make every effort to get this meeting set up as soon as possible.
"It’s something very positive, and we’re there to support people who are in need of the accommodation, and there will be of course, wraparound services and any supports that are needed for the people who will live there,” the meeting heard.
Sinn Féin councillor for the area Annemarie Ryan welcomed the plans for the facility, saying that the own-front-door model is welcome.
"The fact that it’s own-front-door is good, I was talking to someone in the council who said it would be between six and seven people is the size of it, so it’s quite small, and we have them in lots of other towns around the county, so it’s good that it’s progressing,” Cllr Ryan said.
"But there is a need for a meeting, I suppose it would be no harm, as Cllr Crosse said,” she added.
Fine Gael councillor Mary Hanna Hourigan also welcomed the progress on the new facility and said the council have a responsibility to house people in need.
"I welcome the own-front-door accommodation, this is something that we want. It’s working in Clonmel, and I know Cllr Crosse has spoken at many meetings about people who have to leave the town and go to Clonmel to access services and it wasn’t really feasible.
"People locally would have concerns and rumours would go out, but it’s our responsibility as a council to house people and take them out of homelessness,” Cllr Hourigan said.
"It’s just terrible what’s going on, it’s a shame and shame on our Government – which I’m a member of – that we’re in this situation, but we need to do everything we can to get this up and running as soon as possible,” she said.