“Dublin Simon has helped me to achieve more in my few weeks here than I have in years in and out of recovery”

As homelessness numbers continue to rise, a lack funding from the Government leaves the remaining 49 beds at Dublin Simon’s Usher’s Island facility empty, while people experiencing homelessness wait for vital recovery services.

Dublin, 30th May 2025: As homeless figures once again climb to new heights, the need for effective health and housing solutions to address the crisis is greater than ever. Opened recently, Dublin Simon Community’s Health and Addiction Care Facility at Usher’s Island is actively providing these solutions, but due to a governmental health funding shortfall it is currently operating at half capacity.

Trish had been in and out of addiction for a number of years before coming to Dublin Simon. After staying in a treatment centre, she moved into a recovery house but found a lack of follow-on housing options due to the housing crisis. She ended up staying in hostels, which she found very unsafe and offered no privacy. Although she was HAP-approved, she could not find a place that would accept her.

“Things changed for me when I got to Usher’s Island. Within an hour I knew I could feel safe there. I couldn’t believe it when I got my own room and saw I had my own bathroom too.”, she said. “I’ve gone through periods of detox before, but I have to say this is the easiest one I’ve done because the staff were supporting me every step of the way. Dublin Simon has helped me to achieve more in my few weeks here than I have in years in and out of recovery.”

Dublin Simon’s Health and Addiction Care Facility is currently operating at roughly half capacity, with funding approved for 51 out of 100 beds. The remaining mattresses still bear their plastic coverings as the organisation awaits necessary funding from the Government. 100 beds have the potential to save up to 36,500 inpatient bed days annually. With Usher’s Island currently operating at roughly half capacity, people who need care are finding themselves on waiting lists. Since the new facility opened in October of last year, the average wait time to secure a place in the Detox unit has been 47 days, a 391% increase compared to the average of the 12 months previous.

Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community, said, “A huge part of our mission is to give people the tools they need to leave homelessness behind them for good. Our facility at Usher’s Island provides vital Detox and Recovery programmes, which are essential interventions for those battling addiction. It is unacceptable that we have a state-of-the-art facility that it is being shamefully underused due to bureaucratic delays. The Government needs to realise that lives are at stake here. The Department of Health must deliver this funding now so that we can reach those who desperately need our help.”

A report published by the Health Research Board earlier this month found that almost nine in ten people who died while homeless had a history of substance abuse. The report found that 128 people experiencing homelessness lost their lives in 2021.

Latest figures rise

The latest data from the Department of Housing confirms 15,580 individuals now in emergency accommodation nationwide, including 11,211 in Dublin—a staggering 10% year-on-year increase.

The latest report also includes 1,565 families and 3,559 children living in emergency accommodation in Dublin, a figure that does not even account for those rough sleeping, refugees, asylum seekers, individuals in domestic violence shelters, or those in hidden homelessness—people sleeping in cars, on couches, or in unsuitable living conditions.

Kenny added, “Even with sufficient investment in facilities like Usher’s Island, people must have suitable housing available to them after they leave treatment to move on with their lives. What we’re currently seeing is a lack of options for those trying to move on from homeless accommodation services. There is simply not enough housing available. This needs to change and it needs to change now.”

Dublin Simon Community is calling on the Government to implement a cross-departmental strategy to prevent and tackle homelessness. This must include a new housing plan that includes a commitment for 20% of social and affordable housing to be designated to those vulnerable and experiencing long-term homelessness. It must also include the development of a comprehensive infrastructure to address the support needs, including health, social, and environmental needs. A specific homeless plan needs to be published with the new expected Government housing plan in July. Without the necessary framework and resources available, the homeless numbers will continue to rise.