Calls for ‘wet hostel’ to be introduced in Wexford to cater for people with addiction issues
With no homeless services available for them, people with addiction issues in Wexford town are essentially being moved from one illegal camping site to the next.
Calling for a ‘wet hostel’ to be introduced, Councillor Tom Forde said the existing hostel at Ozanam House (de Paul) does not admit anyone with alcohol or drug issues.
“We need to put supports in place for homeless people experiencing addiction,” he said at the July meeting of Wexford County Council. “There’s nowhere for them to go, they’re having to set up camp in places like Kerlogue House and sleep rough. This is a problem which is only going to get worse. When people are moved on from one area they just go somewhere else.”
Explaining that the council provides an “integrated care service” in tandem with the HSE, acting director of services Eileen Morrissey said a ‘wet hostel’ would be a “new departure” for WCC and one that would “need to be examined in detail” by the strategic policy committee for housing.