Agencies providing services for homeless people
- Introduction
- Accommodation
- Accessing social welfare payments
- Voluntary organisations
- Further information
Introduction
This page lists a number of agencies and organisations that provide services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. While they are listed under the main type of service provided, many of these bodies provide multiple supports to homeless people, including advice and information on other options available to them.
A growing number of people are either homeless or at risk of losing their homes. Most of them are in the cities. There are dedicated services for homeless people in Dublin and Cork.
Accommodation
If you find yourself homeless or you think you may lose your home, you should generally contact your local authority to access accommodation. In Dublin and Cork, contact the specialist services listed below.
Dublin
If you are in the Dublin region, already getting Rent Supplement and at risk of losing your home, contact the Tenancy Protection Service at 1800 454 454 from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday or email tps@threshold.ie.
Dublin City Council’s Central Placement Service for homeless people is open from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday, at: Parkgate Hall, 6-9 Conyngham Road, Dublin 8. Tel: 1800 707 707 (Helpline open: 10am to 10pm, Monday to Sunday)
Fingal County Council’s Assessment and Placement service is available from 9:30am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday at: Housing Department, Fingal County Council, Grove Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Tel: (01) 890 5090
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s Assessment and Placement service is available from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday at: Housing Department, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, County Hall, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Tel: (01) 205 4700
South Dublin County Council’s Assessment and Placement service is available from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday at: Housing Department, South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Tel: (01) 414 9000
Cork
Cork City Council’s Accommodation Placement Service for homeless people is open from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday, at: Cork City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork. Tel: (021) 492 4248.
The guide to homeless emergency services (pdf) published by Cork City Homeless Forum also lists emergency accommodation for homeless people in Cork City, as well as other services available.
If you are in Cork City and the immediate area, already getting Rent Supplement and at risk of losing your home, contact the Tenancy Protection Service at 1800 454 454 from 9am-9pm or email tps@threshold.ie.
Housing First
The Housing First Service provides street outreach to people who are sleeping rough and helps them to access emergency accommodation. It also works to secure longer-term accommodation with wrap-around supports for people who are sleeping rough or have been in emergency accommodation for a long time. These wrap-around supports can include health supports to help with addiction or mental health issues.
Accessing social welfare payments
In general, you make any claims for social welfare payments such as Jobseeker’s Allowance; for illness and disability payments; for Rent Supplement and for other Supplementary Welfare Allowance payments in the normal way.
In Dublin, there is a Homeless Persons Unit (HPU) to deal with claims for Supplementary Welfare Allowance. The unit can also provide information on other services that may be relevant to your circumstances.
Homeless Persons Unit - Dublin
Community Welfare Service, Department of Social Protection, Elizabeth O’Farrell House, North Cumberland Street, Dublin 1, D01 NX32.
You must make an appointment to access this service. Freephone 1800 724 724 to make an appointment. If you need an in-person appointment, it will be scheduled between 9:30am – 1pm.
You can collect an application pack at the HPU without an appointment.
If you have a question about this service, email: HPU@welfare.ie.
Voluntary organisations
Several voluntary organisations get government funding to provide temporary and permanent accommodation for homeless people and to provide advice and assistance to them. Of these, the main ones are:
Simon Communities in Ireland: simon.ie
Focus Ireland: focusireland.ie
Crosscare: crosscare.ie
St Vincent de Paul: svp.ie
De Paul Trust: depaulireland.org
Salvation Army: salvationarmy.ie
Peter McVerry Trust: pmvtrust.ie
Novas: novas.ie
Sophia: sophia.ie
Cope: copegalway.ie
Sonas: sonashousing.ie
Cuan-Teach Mhuire: cuanmhuire.ie
Merchants Quay Ireland provides a range of services to drug users and homeless people, including the Night Café in Dublin.
Threshold and Trust also provide advice and assistance to homeless people.
Mercy Law Resource Centre provide free legal advice and representation to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Some voluntary housing organisations offer services and supports to homeless people.
Homeless migrants
You may be eligible for housing services if you are legally resident in Ireland and you have been living in the relevant local authority area for a specific length of time. If you are not eligible for long-term housing assistance, you may get temporary help from an emergency homelessness service. The following organisations provide specific advice and information:
Crosscare Information and Advocacy Services (including Crosscare Refugee Service and Crosscare Housing and Welfare Information) provide information, advocacy and referral services to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants who need help with social welfare payments, housing and homelessness.
Crosscare, 2 Saint Mary’s Place North, D07 Y768. Tel: (01) 836 0011
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) provides information, advocacy and assistance on social welfare entitlements. The resource centre offers a frontline drop in service, and a phone and email service to assist with queries nationally.
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, 13 Lower Dorset Street, Dublin 1. Tel: (01) 889 7570
Further information
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive, which is responsible for co-ordinating services for homeless people in Dublin, provides information on how to access homeless support services in Dublin.
The Cork City Homeless Forum has produced a guide to homeless emergency services in Cork.
For more information, you can contact your local Citizens Information Centre.
You can also see the following sources: