Lord Mayor of Dublin visits a unique homeless service

THE Lord Mayor of Dublin recently paid a visit to homeless charity Depaul’s Sundial House.

The service, which was a pioneering effort when it first opened its doors some 10 years ago, is located on James Street in Dublin 8.

Sundial House provides bespoke, long-term accommodation for up to 30 residents.

The service also supports people who have experienced extended periods of street homelessness and have entrenched alcohol use issues.

Sundial House offers a holistic harm reduction approach where each resident is given support to manage their alcohol consumption.

During his visit Lord Mayor Paul McAuliffe chatted extensively with residents of the long term accommodation service and met with staff, who he praised for their “incredible kindness and dedication”.

Speaking on his visit, Lord Mayor McAuliffe said: “It is great to visit such a unique service. A service that when opened was the first of its kind in the city.

“It is only when you visit a place like Sundial House that you realise the great work taking place. To see the level of support and care provided to the most vulnerable in our society makes me feel proud.

“Some 10 years ago a place like Sundial House did not exist, leaving many of the residents here with no access to the support they required.

“It shows that tailored support works, and this approach is vital going-forward if we are to help those most in need.

Depaul CEO David Carroll said they were delighted to have the Lord Mayor of Dublin visit.

“To be recognised by the Lord Mayor means a lot, not only to the residents, but the staff too,” he said.

“The recent rise in homeless figures shows that we must continue to provide solutions.

“It’s important to show how Sundial House can tackle homelessness and meet the needs of vulnerable people.”