Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has called on Minister Eoghan Murphy to ensure that rough sleepers are not falling through the cracks due to bureaucratic wrangling between local authorities.

Deputy Ó Broin said: “The local authorities, homeless NGOs and the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) have been doing tremendous work throughout this pandemic in relation to providing extra beds for rough sleepers.

“I am concerned that some single men in Dublin are unfortunately falling through the cracks and are ending up on the streets as they can’t access homeless assessments.

“People shouldn’t be denied access to emergency accommodation during this health crisis and when there is an extra amount of beds available.

“The Minister for Housing in response stated that he would be reluctant to step into the bureaucratic wrangling between different local authorities as to where the responsibility lay.

“However, I do welcome the fact that he said that people should not be denied access to emergency accommodation and that he would look into it.

“It is a small number of mostly single men that are affected. Bureaucracy shouldn’t be a barrier to accessing beds.”