A DUBLIN COUNCILLOR has called plans to house 40 people in a former furniture warehouse “moving deckchairs on the Titanic”.
Sinn Féin Councillor Larry O’Toole at today’s Dublin City Council Housing Committee spoke against the proposed use of the former Bargaintown warehouse in Coolock for homeless families.
He this evening told TheJournal.ie that the plan was not good enough.
“This proposal to take homeless families out of hotel accommodation and place them into disused warehouses as a solution to the homeless crisis cannot be considered, either long or short term.
“Dublin City Council and the Minister for Housing, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney need to review this decision immediately and start providing actual homes for people.”
O’Toole said the plan would take homeless people from hotels and put them in the warehouse, which would be refurbished and run by an outside agency, the Salvation Army.
It would serve as a “family hub”, supported living facilities designed to get homeless families out of highly unsuitable hostel and B&B accommodation.
They would divide it up into 40 spaces, but it’s moving deckchairs on the Titanic. We’re spiralling downwards trying to fix a very serious problem.
The council said Apollo House wasn’t suitable, but now they’re saying “we’ll take you out of a hotel and put you into a warehouse”.
“It’s not a solution long or short-term.”
TheJournal.ie has contacted Dublin City Council for comment.
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