Mr. Richard Guiney:

We thank the committee for extending an invite to us to participate in this important conversation. By way of background, Dublin Town is Dublin city centre’s business improvement district. Our role is to promote businesses in our district between St. Stephen’s Green and Parnell Street, which is the city's commercial core. In 2023, the city welcomed a daily average of 237,000 people. All aspects of life and society are reflected on the city’s streets. This includes social challenges such as homelessness, drug dependence and challenging personal behaviour. These issues can and do lead to a feeling of unease amongst the general public and are reflected in poor perceptions of personal safety reported by many who visit the city.

Dublin Town has always sought to engage proactively in addressing issues that can cause concern among city visitors. We support professional bodies in the provision of services to vulnerable members of society. We were active participants in the Better City For All group, which reported in 2012, and are again engaged in the more recent iteration of this group. The work of the Better City For All process aims to promote good practice in the management of social challenges leading to better outcomes for vulnerable members of society and also the wider community that uses and frequents Dublin City centre.

Our research and observations of city life show us that there are shortcomings in how we as a society provide necessary supports for those in need. This is sub-optimal not just for the people in receipt of services but for the wider community. There is a heavy concentration of social services provided within the city centre, particularly on the city’s north side. There are districts of 250 m radius in which up to 1,000 vulnerable people are being accommodated. There are locations where we understand more than 300 people, who have been asked to leave other accommodation, are now being housed. This is inconsistent with best practice and is at variance to the findings of the Better City For All report in 2012. This heavy concentration of service provision is contributing to poor outcomes for those in receipt of services, mitigates against addressing underlying reasons for personal challenges and facilitates drug markets. This in turn affects perceptions of personal safety among the general public. Dublin Town believes supports provided to the most vulnerable should be provided in a holistic and compassionate manner in which the symptoms of homelessness as well as the underlying reasons for personal challenges are addressed.

The effectiveness of certain supports to those experiencing homelessness in Dublin city centre was the subject of a professional report by Mary Higgins in August 2021 for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive. I will outline some of the details in it. While respecting the bona fides of people volunteering their time, effort and resources for the benefit of others, the report addresses concerns that have arisen with aspects of on-street supports. The report also provides concrete recommendations as to how these concerns could be addressed. We further note that these findings chime with a similar study undertaken in the UK in 2005.

The report notes that "the groups do not have the skills or experience to engage with people who are homeless, and there are examples of their interventions undermining the work of mainstream providers and possibly supporting people to remain on or return to the streets". In addition, the report states that:

The model of on-street services where people queue for food and eat in full public view on the main streets of the city is inherently undignified and is potentially unsafe. No attention is paid to nutritional needs or food safety and the crowds that gather at the food stalls are thought to attract drug dealing and other unsavory activity, putting people who are vulnerable at risk.

It continues:

Evidence suggests that the majority of on-street services are not formally constituted, are not registered as charities, do not hold trading licenses (a prerequisite of registration with the HSE EHO) and are not compliant with food safety and other relevant regulatory requirements. It is possible that they are not aware of these requirements or that they apply to them.

It states "There is failure individually and collectively on the part of the responsible official bodies to protect the welfare and safety [of] members of the public and people who are homeless and vulnerable by implementing and enforcing existing regulations in relation to charities, food safety [and] services for people who are homeless." Dublin Town agrees with the key recommendations emanating from the report, namely, to:

Introduce a system of licensing, inspection, and enforcement for all services working with people who are homeless and ensure that unlicensed service cannot operate. Licensing will give assurance to people who are homeless and to members of the public about the services and ensure consistency in their practice.

The Higgins report also refers to other reports on homeless services in Dublin city, noting that the most recent report includes, "The key recommendation is for a more strategic approach be taken to the planning and management of Day Services, through the establishment of 'hubs' that would provide for central coordination to reduce duplication of effort and to enhance impact." Dublin Town engages extensively with the DRHE and its outreach team. The work conducted by this team is exemplary. We are of the view that it could benefit from additional personnel. We believe additional personnel would be likely to have significant positive outcomes for those experiencing homelessness and the wider community.

Dublin Town has concerns with the provision of tents and sleeping bags at a time when there are sufficient beds in the system for all people who need them. We do not believe that people should be encouraged to sleep rough on the city streets. We believe that it must be inherently safer to be in a secure, managed and warm environment with access to food and hygiene facilities than to sleep on the streets, unprotected and exposed to the elements.

We hope that our insights and experiences will be of interest to the committee. We would welcome members' observations and will seek to answer any questions arising.