Homeless hub needed for the 70% refused emergency accommodation in West Cork, says councillor
'Homelessness in West Cork is no longer something that happens to other people. It could be any of our family members, friends, neighbours or work colleagues who find themselves without a secure place to live due to a rent increase, eviction, relationship breakdown, illness, or job loss.'
A supervised homeless hub is needed for West Cork to meet the most urgent needs of the up to 70% of homeless people currently being refused emergency accommodation, according to local Social Democrats councillor Isobel Towse who raised the issue in a motion proposed to the recent meeting of Cork County Council’s Western Division.
Ms Towse said: “I’m very concerned and distressed by the cases of people coming to me who are being refused emergency accommodation. The 70% figure is absolutely shocking. It came from an FOI request from Deputy Holly Cairns’ office last month which showed that the council refused 563 people emergency accommodation in 2024.”
She added: “While homeless figures are rising nationally, somehow West Cork figures are very low, but that’s not surprising when we are refusing so many. The real homeless figures are much, much higher than what is measured.”
Ms Towse said she understood the rationale for prioritising permanent housing over emergency accommodation, but in practice the process takes time and people are “left sleeping in tents or cars in the meantime”.
She said gathering documentation and completing assessments can take weeks and people awaiting assessment who are in urgent need of shelter should be eligible for emergency accommodation until they are properly housed.
She said individuals who have mental health or substance misuse issues are among the most vulnerable adults in society, and it is unacceptable that they are being turned away. Ms Towse said: “The kindest reason I can come up with is that the council don’t have suitable accommodation to offer them.”
Supporting the motion her party colleague Ann Bambury said: “Homelessness in West Cork is no longer something that happens to other people. It could be any of our family members, friends, neighbours or work colleagues who find themselves without a secure place to live due to a rent increase, eviction, relationship breakdown, illness, or job loss.
“People are presenting as homeless in West Cork every week, yet a significant proportion are being refused or not progressed for emergency accommodation. Many are left sleeping rough, staying in cars or caravans, sofa-surfing, or remaining in unsafe situations. This is not acceptable in a community that prides itself on care and solidarity.”
Keith Jones, director of service for housing, said the council uses Government funding to provide emergency accommodation and has recently opened a supported family hub in Clonakilty to help families move out of homelessness.
He added that a dedicated officer works with people in emergency accommodation to help them find longer-term housing and the aim is to ensure everyone has a clear route out of homelessness by preventing it where possible, providing emergency support, and increasing long-term housing.
He said that this includes building more suitable homes, particularly one-bed homes for single people, using rent support schemes, and trialling shared, supported housing in existing council properties.
Western Divisional Manager Michael Lynch said the issue was “very much to the fore of our work”, and that there was nuance in Ms Towse’s motion and he would revert back to her with answers to the questions she had raised.
Ms Towse said: “There isn't much nuance in a figure of 563 refusals. Every one of those refusals is someone whose situation is so bad, they are asking for a bed in a homeless shelter, and we are denying them that safety.”
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