Speaking at Waterford Council’s Metropolitan meeting for April, Independent Councillor Donal Barry demanded to know how exactly the McGwire House homeless hostel came to be placed next to the women’s centre and crèche on Manor Street.
McGwire House is said to be the main homeless facility for men in Waterford, while homeless women and children tend to be sheltered in the Sands Hotel in Tramore.
As the charity Depaul’s website explains, “McGwire House opened its doors in 1942 as Lady Lane Hostel in Waterford City to help men experiencing homelessness. It moved to the current new building in 2011 on Bath Street”.
This involved upgrading McGwire House building to a two storey purpose built emergency hostel with 25 rooms. The service was transferred to Depaul’s care by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 2021. It welcomed women for the first time in August 2022.
Cllr. Barry called for clear answers on a range of issues, citing concern for the users of the women’s centre and crèche nearby, the service users of McGwire house themselves, and the area of Waterford South, which was already recognised as having social disadvantage before this premises was opened.
“What specific risk assessments did Waterford City and County Council carry out before selecting the premises on the Manor, given it’s one of the busiest roads between Waterford and Cork, as an overflow homeless centre in McGwire House?” he asked.
“What child safeguarding assessments were carried out given the close proximity of the crèche and the long established women’s centre there? How does the Council justify placing a facility that they include high risk individuals, including potentially those who are recently released offenders, directly beside a centre with vulnerable women and children?
“Why were the residents of the Manor, Henry St, Parliament St, and Closegate not consulted before this decision was made?” Continued Cllr Barry. “Does the Council accept that consultation after the fact is meaningless and undermines public trust?”
Cllr. Barry then went on to question if the facility was in a safe location for the service users themselves.
“How can the Council justify placing vulnerable individuals, many with addiction issues, in a location where there is real and obvious danger from heavy traffic? What provisions are going to be in place to ensure the safety, dignity and privacy of service users who would be queueing in full public view on that man public Waterford to Cork Road?” Cllr. Barry asked.
“Why has this facility been placed on The Manor in Waterford City South an already disadvantage area? Can the Council provide me with evidence that more suitable locations in other areas were considered?”
A SUITABLE PROPERTY
In reply to this, Donal Ó Murchadha, Senior Executive Officer for the Housing Department, took issue with Cllr. Barry describing homeless people as “high risk”.
“This property’s use class is defined by planning as a hostel. It has operated in terms of emergency accommodation in the recent past as a Ukrainian accommodation centre,” Mr. Ó Murchadha said.
“I would like to discuss with Councillor Barry further the notion of threat associated with our homeless.
“We need to accommodate on a broader basis,” he explained. “We would have a service provider running that facility who currently manages our homeless facility at McGwire House.
“We were required by the government to seek a more stable longer term supports for our homeless in the City and County. We sourced a suitable property in terms of both planning and its historic use and that is the property at the Manor,” Mr. Ó Murchadha said.
“We have engaged with some residents absolutely on your referral, and we did engage in positive actions,” he added.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
