Dublin’s Homeless Could Be Housed In A Section Of Mountjoy Prison

Dublin's homeless could be housed in an unused section of the Mountjoy prison campus, The Irish Independent reports.

Dublin City Council is considering rehoming homeless people to the prison campus after The Department of Justice offered the training unit of Mountjoy to the local authority.

The training unit, which closed earlier this year, is separated from the main area of the jail and has an estimated capacity of 96 beds.

"This is a good news story and it is very welcome"

Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said that Dublin council was still deciding whether or not to use the building but that it is being considered.

"It's a fine building on the banks of the Royal Canal and a decision is still to be made on whether single individuals will be going in or if it will be used to house families," Mr Flynn told the Herald.

"I'd prefer it to be used for those in great need, sleeping rough on our streets.

"This is a good news story and it is very welcome", he added; "It isn't a case of the council putting homeless people into a prison.

The latest reports show that there are currently 8,500 people homeless in Ireland, with a last count of 184 people sleeping rough in Dublin.