Pic: freeimages.com
A new Night Café opened its doors on Wednesday night to Dublin’s homeless.
In accordance with an action plan put together following last year’s Homeless Summit, the service will be running from 11pm to 7.30am, seven nights a week in Merchant’s Quay Ireland. It will alleviate the suffering of those who are sleeping rough and have not been able to access emergency homeless accommodation.
Funded by Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council, the Night Café is much more than just a coffee stop. Not only will it provide tea, coffee and a light meal to those who avail of its services, but it will also offer information and advice, showers and clothing, brief interventions on addiction and mental health, and refer people to avenues of support for accommodation, treatment, health and social services.
Referral to the service can be sought by calling Dublin City Council’s Homeless Central Placement Service at any time on their Freephone number, 1800 707 707. You can also call Housing First’s Intake Service out of hours on 086 813 9015. There are currently places for 30 people to avail of the Night Café, with the possibility of a further 20 following a review of the service on the January 31.
By Aimée Mac Leod
