Call for homeless accommodation to be equipped with essential facilities

The lack of cooking and clothes washing facilities within the county's emergency accommodation is making 'hard lives even harder' for homeless people in Meath, according to Cllr Emer Tóibín.

The Aontú councillor made the comments at the May meeting of Meath County Council when she highlighted the situation many people in emergency accommodation found themselves in, without access to cooking or laundry facilities.

Her motion calling on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure that all homeless accommodation funded by the Department is required to meet minimum standards, including the provision of access to laundry and cooking facilities was agreed and the council will now write to the Minister on the issue.

She said currently standards vary significantly in emergency accommodation and some lack basic amenities for washing clothes and preparing a meal which strips them of basic dignity and makes lives even harder for them at an already difficult time.

Cllr Tóibín argued that some families are unable to feed their children or wash their clothes, having to spend money on expensive laundromats and ready meals from the supermarket.

She said it had been brought to her attention that many of these families do not have cars, being forced to carry heavy loads of laundry to and from washing facilities in order to keep themselves and their families clean.

Cllr Tóibín described this situation as ‘overwhelming, complex, expensive and degrading’ especially for those who have young children.

Cllr Alan Lawes supported the motion and said they really need HIQA to look at standards in emergency accommodation across the country to keep them to certain standard.