Homeless Services

If you are homeless, rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness, and your last permanent address is situated in South Dublin County Council(SDCC) area (use connect me to check this), contact the Homeless Service Unit directly at our Offices in County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24 or contact us at 01-414 9000. You will be assessed and if you are deemed homeless, temporary accommodation will be organized through the Assessment and Placement Service.

Opening Hours: 10am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm (Monday to Friday)
Outside of these hours, please call the Homeless Helpline on FREEPHONE 1800 707 707

If you are NOT A RESIDENT of South Dublin County Council and your local connection is in another Dublin Area, you can call directly to their offices at:

• Dublin City Council: Wood Quay, Dublin 8 Tel. 01 222 2222 
• Fingal County Council: Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Tel. 01 890 5000
• Dun Laoghaire Rathdown: County Hall, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Tel. 01 205 4700

Note: Due to the ongoing crisis, there is a significant waiting period for Social Housing.

1. Who should I contact for advice if I am at risk of becoming homeless?
2. Who does the local authority understand to be eligible for emergency accommodation?
3. Am I entitled to temporary emergency accommodation?
4. What service does the Assessment and Placement Service provide?
5. What does the initial assessment involve?
6. What do I need to bring with me?
7. I am not from Ireland, can I still access this service?
8. If I am aged under 18 years, who do I contact?
9. Where are the Day Services available for the Homeless?
10. Who do I contact for advice on your social welfare entitlements

Who should I contact for advice if I am at risk of becoming homeless?
If you are in private rented accommodation and at risk of becoming homeless, you should contact Threshold. Their details are below.

Threshold Dublin Advice Centre
21 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7.
Tenancy Protection Service-National Helpline (Mon-Fri 9-9): 1800 454 454.
Office Opening Hours: Mon - Fri 9.30-5pm
Email: advice@threshold.ie
For more details see: Threshold- Get Advice

If you are in mortgage arrears and at risk of losing your home, you should contact your lender or MABS - Money Advice and Budgeting Service. MABS is a free and confidential service for people who are having problems with money management and debt. MABS is centrally involved in the Abhaile scheme for people who are in serious mortgage arrears and at risk of losing their home. Call MABS on: 0761 07 2000 (Monday to Friday – 9am – 8pm) for independent information, advice and referral.

Who does the local authority understand to be eligible for emergency accommodation?

• If you are eligible for social housing with South Dublin County Council
• If you have nowhere to stay on the day you present to the Local Authority Assessment and Placement Service.
• If you have been staying in a place but have no right to remain there.
• If you have somewhere to stay but are at risk of harm if you remain there.
• If you cannot pay for any accommodation for yourself.

Proof of the above will be assessed by the Assessment and Placement Service.
The local authority cannot provide permanent accommodation immediately, but if a person is considered homeless, temporary emergency accommodation may be arranged until a more long-term accommodation solution can be put in place.

Am I entitled to temporary emergency accommodation? 
To help decide whether the local authority has a duty to find temporary emergency accommodation or long-term housing for you, the Housing Officer will look at whether you:

• Are eligible for social housing with South Dublin County Council?
• Are homeless or are likely to be homeless?
• Have a priority need for temporary emergency accommodation / access to housing?

While the local authority is considering your situation, temporary emergency accommodation may be provided if you have nowhere else to stay.

What service does the Assessment and Placement Service provide?
This is a specialised service that provides information and advice. An initial assessment is carried out to help place you into temporary emergency accommodation (if required). The Assessment and Placement Service will organise temporary emergency accommodation for you, if you have nowhere else to stay and will assign a Housing Officer, who will work with you to explore all accommodation options available.

What does the initial assessment involve?
The Initial Assessment involves:

• Establishing identity;
• Establishing accommodation history i.e. confirming where you last lived and when, particularly your last permanent address;
• Establishing support & need for temporary emergency accommodation;
• Establishing if you are registered or eligible to register with a local authority for social housing support.

 What do I need to bring with me?
You will need to bring a form of photo identification i.e. passport; driver’s license etc., proof of income, proof of last permanent address and proof of homelessness.

I am not from Ireland, Who do I contact?
If you are not from Ireland, please contact:

Homeless Persons Unit, 77 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin 1.
Opening Hours: 10am - 11.30am and 2pm - 3.30pm (Monday to Friday) or Telephone 01- 858 5100.

This service will check if you are eligible to claim for mainstream Social Welfare Payments.

If I am aged under 18 years, who do I contact? 
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility to respond to your needs if you are homeless and aged under 18 years. A social worker with the HSE will help you. If you become homeless or are at risk of homelessness, go to your local area health office.

If contacting after 5pm (i.e. the local area health office is closed), go to your local Garda Station and the Gardaí will contact the on-duty Social Worker for the HSE Area so that emergency accommodation and supports can be arranged.

Where are the Day Services available for the Homeless?
If you contact a day service they will assist you in linking in with the relevant local authority to ensure that you have temporary emergency accommodation and that your needs can be assessed. There is a full list of day services in Dublin on Homeless Dublin.

The following are some of the day services that are available:
(Please note times/days are liable to change, please call the phone numbers below or follow the link above before attending to confirm)

• Merchants Quay Ireland Open Access Service
  River Bank Court, Merchants Quay, Dublin 8.
  Phone - 01 524 0923 / 01 524 0924 or by access the service directly
  Opening Times – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 7.15am – 12.45pm & 1.45pm – 4.30pm, Tuesday 1.45pm – 4.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 7.15am – 1.15pm.
   
• Focus Ireland Coffee Shop 
  15 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.
  Phone - 01 671 2555 or
  Opening Times – Monday to Friday 11.30am – 3.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am -3.30pm
   
• Extended Day Services(provided by Focus Ireland and Merchant’s Quay Ireland),
  Riverbank, 4 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8
  Phone  - 01 524 0160
  Opening Times -  Monday to Sunday 4pm – 8.30pm
   
• Capuchin Day Centre
  29 Bow Street, Dublin 7
  Phone  -  01 872 0770
  Opening Times -  Monday to Saturday- Breakfast 9am -11.30am and lunch 1pm -3pm. Food parcels are also available on Wednesday mornings(9.30-12)
   
• Crosscare Housing and Welfare Information
  1 Cathedral Street, Dublin 1
  Phone -  01 872 6775
  Opening Times -  Monday, Thursday, Friday, 9.30am – 1pm & 2pm – 5pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 2pm – 5pm
   
• Clondalkin Tus Nua
  New Nangor Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
  Phone - 01 457 2938
  Opening times – 9.30am – 11am & 3pm – 4pm (2pm – 3pm Friday)
  For more details see: Tus Nua Drop In
   
• Community Addiction Response Programme (CARP)
  Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
  Phone - 01 462 6033 /   01 462 6082
  Opening times - Friday 9am – 4pm
  For more details see: CARP Homeless services

Focus Ireland – Tallaght Homeless Advice Unit (THAU) 
Information and advice about homelessness in the South Dublin County Council Area.
510 Main Street Dublin 24 Ireland
Phone: 01 494 0224
Main Client Group: Homeless or people at risk of homelessness
Age Group: Over 18
Gender: Male and female
Catchment Area: South Dublin County Council

THAU aims to respond to the needs of homeless people to prevent homelessness in the South Dublin County Council Area  through provision of information, advice, advocacy and support. In particular, THAU:

• Helps people make informed choices about their housing circumstances;
• Offers crisis support services for families and individuals at risk of eviction;
• Refers to other agencies when appropriate;
• Supports those sleeping rough or in emergency accommodation;
• Provides flat finding service for those seeking private rented accommodation;
• Provides outreach service working with people in their own communities

Who do I contact for advice on your social welfare entitlements?
You should contact the Department of Social Protection’s, Homeless Persons Unit (HPU). The HPU provides payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme and offers advice on your social welfare entitlements. Note: SDCC have no control or influence over social welfare payments and cannot process any social welfare queries.

• Men –Phone 1800 724 724. For more information see, Homeless Persons Unit Men
• Women and families –Phone 1800 724 724. For more information see, Homeless Persons Unit (Women and Families)
• Not from Ireland (includes Asylum Seekers, Refugees and persons from EU Accession countries) – Phone 01 858 5100 or access the service directly on 77 Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 from 10am- 11.30am, 2pm to 3.30pm.