Life on the line

EIGHT men have been forced to live in tents near the Luas line at Milltown as Dublin’s homelessness crisis continues. 

The eight, and their dog, have been living at the tented camp site for the past two months.

One of the men at the camp is a 28-year-old who is known as Josh among friends. He has been battling homelessness on and off since he was 14-years-of-age and has been a rough sleeper since being released from Cloverhill Prison in 2014. 

“It’s very challenging for my mental health,” Josh admitted. “I have attempted suicide twice and I think about taking my life every day. I can only cope because of my own cleanliness and mental strength.”

Josh explained that the reason why he is staying at the Milltown camp is because homeless shelters are “full of drug addicts”. Before arriving at Milltown he would sleep in St Stephen’s Green in a sleeping bag at night. 

Josh, who underwent a drugs relapse course while being held at Cloverhill Prison where was serving time for theft, says he is currently classified as a rough sleeper by Dublin City Council as he hasn’t accepted a place at any of the city hostels, therefore disqualifying himself from a position on the local authority’s social housing list.

“I have tried to access homeless services before.

“But some of the people in there are hanging over the beds with needles in them,” he claimed. “I’m clean and I do not want to be near an environment like that.”

Josh insists that that he is “willing to work”.

He says that all he wants is “homeless accommodation that is free of drink and drugs”.

He was made aware by some of his friends of Apollo House, the former office block on Tara Street that is currently being occupied by the HomeSweetHome campaign.

However, he claims that there were no beds available which he found hard to believe “given the size of the building”. 

After completing a course at Coolmine College on cannabis stabilisation, Josh said he is keen to create awareness around the drug and the problem of drug addiction. 

According to Government figures on December 31, 2016, there were just less than 7,000 adults and children living in emergency accommodation, including hotels, hotels and B&Bs across the city.

REPORT: Andrew Ralph