Mayor of Limerick expert group set up to tackle homelessness and associated drug addiction
CIRcUL is playing a pivotal role in an expert group set up by the Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, to tackle homelessness and associated drug addiction.
The group, which is co-chaired by Cllr Sarah Beasley and Mayor Moran, is made up of officials from Limerick City and County Council’s Housing Support Services team, An Garda Síochána, the HSE, approved housing bodies, researchers from University of Limerick and others from the voluntary sector.
It was agreed that the group’s remit will specifically focus on tackling street homelessness and linked dynamics to drug use in Limerick city and county.
The group has been engaging in stakeholder mapping and data gathering, led by Dr Keyes, and is continuing to progress its work in supporting individuals and families.
A series of workshops held with stakeholders, including those with lived experiences of addiction and homelessness, has been held in recent weeks. The aim of these workshops was to generate fresh insights and innovative solutions that could inform future strategies, policies, and interventions to better address these social challenges in Limerick and further afield.
A questionnaire intended to be completed by people living with street homelessness on a voluntary basis has also been developed by the group in conjunction with UL. This questionnaire is unique and is believed to be the first of its kind to be completed in the country by persons who are directly affected by street homelessness.
Distribution of the questionnaire has recently begun in conjunction with Ana Liffey and St Vincent de Paul (SVP) and it, along with other actions being addressed by the group, will inform its final report.
It is envisaged that this data, being gathered by speaking with those who have lived experiences of homelessness and addiction directly, will eventually enable Limerick City and County Council and other bodies to adopt even more effective, person-centred policies to improve quality of life.
Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, commented: “As Mayor, I welcome the continued progress of the cross-agency group we established to tackle the complex challenges of homelessness and addiction in Limerick. I want to thank Cllr Sarah Beasley, Dr Laura Keyes and officials from Limerick City and County Council for embracing this innovation to policy development in Limerick in an area where people forward thinking is so important.
“The work group will play an important role in producing specific practical policy actions, which can be prioritised over the course of the More for Limerick Mayoral Programme. It isn’t about a short-term fix, though. We want to take our time to understand root causes through data, listening to those who are experiencing homelessness and addiction, and to ensure our policy is formed by hearing those voices. But we remain focused and determined to find a better solution for Limerick.”
The task force remains dedicated to assisting individuals facing homelessness and addiction within the community.
It is anticipated that a further update on the working group will be issued upon the completion of the group’s work and the publication of its final report.
