AN 81-YEAR-OLD woman was reportedly found sleeping rough on O’Connell Street in Dublin, it has been revealed.
City councillor Christy Burke was contacted by charity worker Irene Cody Murphy
who discovered the homeless woman on the streets, having been discharged from hospital with no place to go.
Reaching Out To Homeless spoke to the Independent representative to express concern over the elderly woman’s treatment and condition.
She was found by Murphy, a volunteer, who runs a soup kitchen in the area, walking the streets in a freezing and very distressed state.
The woman had earlier been discharged from St James’s Hospital, despite the fact she didn’t have a place to stay.
It’s a decision that drew criticism from Councillor Burke who believes the woman would have most likely died of hypothermia had she not been discovered.
He said: "If there's somebody attending a hospital and they're 81 years of age and vulnerable and weak and if nothing more medically can be done, well shame on whatever institution that would release them back onto the streets, with no roof over their head."
Homeless services have since been contacted.
The woman has been put up in a hotel in the meantime.
She is expected to remain there for several days.
It is hoped that a homeless charity will be able to secure the 81-year-old a more permanent residence in the next few weeks and months.
A record high of 10,500 people are homeless in Ireland.
According to figures released by the Department of Housing, as of last October, there were 10,514 individuals homeless, with 4,000 of these being children.
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