Welfare of Wexford’s rough sleepers remains a concern despite worst of winter weather behind us

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Although the worst of the winter weather is behind us, concerns remain about the welfare of those sleeping rough in Wexford town. Currently, adverse weather beds are made available for rough sleepers when temperatures drop to zero or weather warnings are issued by Met Éireann.

However, those beds were not opened on Valentine’s Day despite “driving rain” so bad “you wouldn’t have left a dog out in it”.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD) Councillor Jim Codd called for the rules around the adverse weather beds to be amended to protect some of Wexford’s most vulnerable people.

“The adverse weather beds were closed on February 14 because there was a prediction the temperatures would rise, which they did,” he began. “But the people sleeping outside would have been in a rough state by the time the temperatures began to rise at three in the morning. There was driving rain that night. You wouldn’t have left a dog out in it and we left people out in it. This is a mistake we can’t make again, and one which could cost lives.”

With Cllr Ger Carthy asking why the beds weren’t available and whether there was a cost issue at play, Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien relayed some information she had been given by a member of the housing staff.

“I have previously been informed that we recoup 90 pc of the expense of opening these beds, however, I believe we’re the only county that doesn’t keep them open throughout the winter months,” she said.

“We should write to the housing minister and ask him to offset that 10 pc,” agreed Cllr Carthy. “We need to keep the adverse weather beds open all winter, because the service users, who may have issues with addiction, can’t be expected to know when they might be open and when they’re not.”

Another frequent request in the RMD meetings surrounds the lack of emergency accommodation for those who suddenly find themselves homeless in the district. And, according to Cllr O’Brien, the council does not want to create additional accommodation in the county.

“I have been told by our housing team that they are happy with the beds we have and they don’t want people to get comfortable in them while they wait for long-term housing,” she said. “There’s a sense they’re ‘going to lie around and wait for a social housing allocation’. I’ve been told that at least ten times.”