Boarding up of Lefroy House ‘utterly shocking’, says councillor Timmons

The boarding up of the former homeless hostel for young people, Lefroy House has been described as “utterly shocking,” by councillor Francis Timmons.

The hostel, which was set up in 1999, was a shelter for young people who were homeless or could not return to their home but was closed in early 2021.

South Dublin County Councillor Francis Timmons, who helped establish the centre said he is devastated to see it fall into disrepair.

‘’It’s utterly shocking to see a former hostel for young people boarded up,” he said.

“Lefroy House was once a homeless hub that provided respite for high risk young people in need of emergency accommodation – no one can tell me in the middle of an horrendous homeless and housing crisis that its acceptable to have this building empty and boarded up in the middle of our capital city.

“The Government provided and invested significant funds over a number of years to provide the service.

Timmons says that although the hostel is now closed it should continue to be used for housing.

“Something needs to be done asap to bring it back into housing use – either emergency or long term housing.

“I think it’s appalling, regrettable and a travesty that a vital service like this has been allowed shut and the building is allowed sit there boarded up,” he says.

“All over Ireland we are seeing sleeping bags and tents and over many years heard commitments to end homelessness and so far these have failed.

“As a nation we should be very angry that we have any homeless but also we should be angry about boarded up facilities like this and derelict sites.

“This is a five floor building in the heart of Dublin City and based near to O’Connell street and public transport. People need action not words!’’

Lefroy House is located on Eden Quay and was operated and owned by Salvation Army.

It could sleep up to seven people each night with around 100 minors using the facility in recent years.

Children could stay at the facility over night but had to leave in the morning – they could then return at 5pm that evening if they needed shelter for that night.

Late in 2020, The Salvation Army informed staff and TUSLA that it intended on closing the facility tin 2021 but did not clarify why it came to the decision.

Malcolm Page, assistant director of homelessness services for the charity said: “This was a difficult decision but to stress, the closure of Lefroy has no impact on other Salvation Army operations in Ireland.

“While we are sad to close Lefroy House, it allows us to refocus our resources into essential services for adults and families.

“The long-term economic impact of the pandemic is already being felt, which makes our vital work with vulnerable adults and families even more urgent.”

A spokesperson for TUSLA, the child and family agency, said that further services to support the children who used the facility would be established.