A homeless charity has called on Dublin City Council to urgently implement its cold weather initiative to save lives.
Temperatures this week will dip to around seven degrees at night and Met Eireann has warned that showers will gradually worsen throughout the week.
Feed Our Homeless chief Tony Walsh said his outreach teams are engaging with up to 100 people every night and he urged the authority to fund hundreds of extra beds as the cold snap deepens.
He also claimed there were no emergency beds available through the freephone system on a number of occasions last week.
Mr Walsh said: “With the cold weather expected I’m hoping that Dublin City Council and DRHE will bring forward the cold winter initiative beds to help ensure there will be enough emergency beds in the system for those who are trying to access emergency accommodation away from the streets each night.”
“We’re out every night engaging with those sleeping rough and some people are sleeping in horrendous conditions.
“There are 300 beds that are due to come on stream from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive over the coming weeks.
“I hope they’ll put contingency plans in place to cater for those who are out in the elements over the weekend.”
Mr Walsh claimed last week there “was no emergency beds available for people who needed them” on a number of occasions.
Meanwhile, Met Eireann said tomorrow will see a wet start.
A forecaster said: “Scattered outbreaks of showery rain will gradually clear to scattered showers during the day with some drier and brighter intervals developing, especially in the north and west. Highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees in mostly moderate southwest winds, easing later.
“A good deal of uncertainty for Thursday but indications are that it will be a generally wet day with showery outbreaks of rain.
"Highest temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees in light to moderate south to southeast winds. Spells or rain and showers will continue overnight. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in light to moderate southwest breezes.”
