Homeless emergency action needed as two die in floods – Sinn Féin TD

FLOODING throughout the country requires emergency action and accommodation to protect the homeless, Sinn Féin Dáil Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis has said after he spent last night helping homeowners battle the deluge.

The Dublin TD was speaking as news was breaking that at least two lives had been lost in the floods in Dublin.

Search teams trying to locate missing Garda Ciarán Jones discovered a body close to where he was swept into the Liffey on Monday night. On Tuesday, the body of an unnamed Filipino woman was found in a flooded basement on Parnell Road in Dublin.

Dessie Ellis said:

Last night we saw huge flooding throughout the country and especially in my own city of Dublin. I spent many hours last night helping local people deal with the effects of the flooding on their homes. These people are facing a lot of difficulty but they continue to have a roof over their heads.

There has been a 26% increase in rough sleepers in Dublin in recent times. The people who now are sleeping in alleys and doorways are facing dreadful damp and cold conditions. We are in danger of fatalities from exposure and illnesses from these conditions.

He said that Dublin City Council, local authorities elsewhere and the Department of Environment must ensure that emergency accommodation is put in place to get rough sleepers off the streets and into safe and warm conditions.

Dublin Simon recently stated that they are operating at full capacity and still not meeting the needs of all the homeless people in Dublin. We cannot allow this very vulnerable group to be left out on the streets to freeze. The authorities must act now.