Balfe Road Walkinstown Homeless Shelter

Delta2113

On the 15th of November 2017, Dublin City Council announced a decision that the units behind the Bank of Ireland, on Balfe Road, Dublin 12, would be repurposed to provide 24/7 accomodation for 50-70 homeless people.

None of the local residents informed and a campaign has been lodged to object to this.

If you live in the area and object you need to contact your local T.D. now.

HeidiHeidi

I don't mean to be smart, or disingenuous, or whatever - but there's blue murder about the homeless situation over the last few years, calls for anyone and everyone to do something about it - now DCC are actually doing something about it, and there's blue murder about that.

I'm sorry, but this smacks of NIMBYism at its finest.

Ben D Bus

I'd like to hear exactly what the objection is but at first reading it does seem like NIMBYism.

Everyone want's the homeless housed. Just not near them

Delta2113

Serious drug addicts, sex offenders and people with psychiatric conditions will be housed here from my understanding.

The Council bypassed normal planning permission and zoning regulations by using 179(6) b of the planning act 2000.

A Creche is just across the road from here and local schools. Recently a KFC got refused because of location near schools but this is ok? Seriously?

francois

Delta2113 wrote: »

Serious drug addicts, sex offenders and people with psychiatric conditions will be housed here from my understanding.

I'd need evidence for this-I live down the road btw, and don't have any objection, last thing the area needs is another fast food outlet as well

HeidiHeidi

Delta2113 wrote: »

Serious drug addicts, sex offenders and people with psychiatric conditions will be housed here from my understanding.

The Council bypassed normal planning permission and zoning regulations by using 179(6) b of the planning act 2000.

A Creche is just across the road from here and local schools. Recently a KFC got refused because of location near schools but this is ok? Seriously?

That's a big claim there, do you have anything to back that up?

I'm not saying you're right or wrong by the way, but that's the kind of scandal-mongering statement that whips up a frenzy of feeling/panic in a neighbourhood, and shouldn't be thrown out casually.

amascid

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

That's a big claim there, do you have anything to back that up?

I guess it could be inferred from homeless stats?

Delta2113

** Meeting of residents and public representatives in relation to homeless shelter proposed for Balfe Road**

There is a meeting arranged by the Walkinstown Action Group for local residents with queries relating to the proposed Homeless Shelter on Balfe Road and local public representatives are invited.

The meeting is to be held at Drimnagh Castle Primary School between 7-9pm on Monday 27th November 2017.

obrienl5

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

That's a big claim there, do you have anything to back that up?

I'm not saying you're right or wrong by the way, but that's the kind of scandal-mongering statement that whips up a frenzy of feeling/panic in a neighbourhood, and shouldn't be thrown out casually.

This information was on a leaflet that was posted in the doors of the houses in the area. There was no source given for the information and it reeks of scaremongering. People in the area seem to have genuinely believed the 'facts' in this leaflet and are reacting badly to it. If DCC had given more information people would not have panicked so much.

According to the last homeless figures in July there were 145 people who were homeless in Dublin 12 and over 8,000 homeless people in Ireland in September (information from focus Ireland). While temporary shelter will not fix the problem it does give some breathing space to DCC and the individuals involved.

I live in this area and the amount of NIMBYism I have been seeing on social media is shocking.

Wheety

Is there anywhere I can sign up to say I agree with the location of this shelter?

Delta2113

Wheety wrote: »

Is there anywhere I can sign up to say I agree with the location of this shelter?

- No.

Meauldsegosha

Delta2113 wrote: »

** Meeting of residents and public representatives in relation to homeless shelter proposed for Balfe Road**

There is a meeting arranged by the Walkinstown Action Group for local residents with queries relating to the proposed Homeless Shelter on Balfe Road and local public representatives are invited.

The meeting is to be held at Drimnagh Castle Primary School between 7-9pm on Monday 27th November 2017.

Wheety wrote: »

Is there anywhere I can sign up to say I agree with the location of this shelter?

Go to the meeting to show your support. I'm sure they will listen to balanced arguments from both sides.

Ciaran_B

I live in the area and I'll be contacting my TDs to tell them I support this facility.

It was so cold this morning I was shivering going to work, can't imaging what it would be like to have to spend the night in it.

obrienl5

Ciaran_B wrote: »

I live in the area and I'll be contacting my TDs to tell them I support this facility.

It was so cold this morning I was shivering going to work, can't imaging what it would be like to have to spend the night in it.

I never thought of that Ciaran_B. That's a great idea. I think I will be doing that as well.

Delta2113

Just got a letter from Catherine Byrne TD FG ending with "Hiding this problem away is not the solution."

Dublin City Council hid away the workmen working on this site until they got found out.

If we have a general election in the next few weeks this will be the major local issue.

Might even see an Independent go up on this issue alone. They would have my vote if they oppose this shelter.

Meauldsegosha

Delta2113 wrote: »

Might even see an Independent go up on this issue alone. They would have my vote if they oppose this shelter.

Another single issue Independent TD, just what we need in Parliament. :rolleyes:

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alastair

Delta2113 wrote: »

Just got a letter from Catherine Byrne TD FG ending with "Hiding this problem away is not the solution."

Dublin City Council hid away the workmen working on this site until they got found out.

If we have a general election in the next few weeks this will be the major local issue.

Might even see an Independent go up on this issue alone. They would have my vote if they oppose this shelter.

No TD - particularly an independent backbencher, will have any influence on DCC policy. You need to come to terms with the reality that you’ll have a homeless shelter in your neighborhood. Disgraceful NIMBYism to oppose a measure to help address a problem universally acknowledged as requiring attention in the city.

Delta2113

https://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057812658 - Bank of Ireland dont want to know.

snip

I've already advised some OAP's in the area on this who are very scared.

Ben D Bus

Delta2113 wrote: »

I've already advised some OAP's in the area on this who are very scared.

They're most likely scared as a result of the hysterical reaction of the NIMBYs. A calm, mature and caring response to this may have been a better way to inform the OAPs.

Wheety

What do you think is going to happen if this much needed homeless shelter opens?

alastair

Delta2113 wrote: »

https://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057812658 - Bank of Ireland dont want to know.

Rightly so. Your Henny Penny routine isn't anything any bank branch (or OAP) should entertain.

Ciaran_B

Delta2113 wrote: »

https://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057812658 - Bank of Ireland dont want to know.

snip

I've already advised some OAP's in the area on this who are very scared.

Are they going to construct some special anti-homeless barriers or something to placate your nonsense?

obrienl5

Delta2113 wrote: »

- Bank of Ireland dont want to know.

I've already advised some OAP's in the area on this who are very scared.

We are you spending your time scaring OAPs. Surely you could be doing something more positive.

amcalester

Delta2113 wrote: »

I've already advised some OAP's in the area on this who are very scared.

Were they scared before or after you started in with the hyperbole?

amascid

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This post has been deleted.

Its pretty ignorant to say that locals are stereotyping homeless. I recently saw some stats that showed that about 25% of homeless take heroin, compared to 0.7% in the general population. About 40% of homeless people take hard drugs.. This would indicate that out of a sample of 50 people that at least 10 will be heroin addicts. Since drugs will be prohibited in the shelter where do you think the needles will end up? Locals as well as parents who have kids in the creche across the road and the nearby schools have a right to be concerned. Don't you think? Would you not be concerned?

Check out the IMO Addiction and Dependency IMO Position Paper if you doubt the stats.

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Bandito909

I'm all for helping the homeless etc... The decent ones.

But in general, all these places do attract scumbags. I feel sorry for the older people on Balfe road when their houses are being burgled by junkies. Or young parents seeing drug pushers near their kids. Cars getting broken into, paedophiles near the schools etc.

I can guarantee if this does go ahead, in a year or two this whole area will be an absolute ****hole.

All well and good jumping down the OPs throat, have any of you ever contacted your own local TDs and tried to get one put on your own doorstep? Didn't think. Haha. 'I live in Dundalk's and I'm all for the homeless shelter on Balfe road'

amascid

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I'm not sure what point you're making but the shelter will only hold 40-50 people. If you're housing 50 people (whether they are homeless or not) and statistics show that approx 20% of them take heroin and 40% take hard drugs then its not a place you want your kids to be near..

obrienl5

I live in the area and I am in full support of the homeless shelter. This is not a night shelter so there will be no reason to have people 'attracted' to it as there will be no queuing or self-referral.

This could be used as a learning experience for children but it seems more likely that all a lot of children in the area will be learning is to be as hostile to people who are down on their luck as their parents are. Maybe you should volunteer with a homeless shelter and then you would have a better idea of the type of people who are becoming homeless in Ireland. They are not "in general" the "scumbags" you would view them as.

alastair

Bandito909 wrote: »

I'm all for helping the homeless etc... The decent ones.

But in general, all these places do attract scumbags. I feel sorry for the older people on Balfe road when their houses are being burgled by junkies. Or young parents seeing drug pushers near their kids. Cars getting broken into, paedophiles near the schools etc.

I can guarantee if this does go ahead, in a year or two this whole area will be an absolute ****hole.

All well and good jumping down the OPs throat, have any of you ever contacted your own local TDs and tried to get one put on your own doorstep? Didn't think. Haha. 'I live in Dundalk's and I'm all for the homeless shelter on Balfe road'

Complete nonsense. From beginning to end. Well done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESVOF6DScKQ

alastair

amascid wrote: »

I'm not sure what point you're making but the shelter will only hold 40-50 people. If you're housing 50 people (whether they are homeless or not) and statistics show that approx 20% of them take heroin and 40% take hard drugs then its not a place you want your kids to be near..

Why is that? What exactly do you think addicts are going to do to these kids? The point is there's already plenty of addicts in the community, and so far, there's no evidence of kids suffering as a consequence.

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Delta2113

Ciaran_B wrote: »

Are they going to construct some special anti-homeless barriers or something to placate your nonsense?

snip

Delta2113

amcalester wrote: »

Were they scared before or after you started in with the hyperbole?

- Already scared -alot of home invasions in the area lately and anti-social behaviour - things will only get worse.

julyjane

Delta2113 wrote: »

Serious drug addicts, sex offenders and people with psychiatric conditions will be housed here from my understanding.

"Serious drug addicts, sex offenders and people with psychiatric conditions" could already be sitting beside you as you bring your children to McDonald's, a park, a playcentre. They could live in the house next door to you if they have the means or live with a family member or friend/partner.

Bandito909

julyjane wrote: »

"Serious drug addicts, sex offenders and people with psychiatric conditions" could already be sitting beside you as you bring your children to McDonald's, a park, a playcentre. They could live in the house next door to you if they have the means or live with a family member or friend/partner.

That's true they could be. But when the centre is built they DEFINITELY will be!

Victor

Delta2113 wrote: »

https://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057812658 - Bank of Ireland dont want to know.

No, that was a Boards.ie manager saying you were being disruptive. What bank discusses their security on the internet?

snip

Cianos

amascid wrote: »

I'm not sure what point you're making but the shelter will only hold 40-50 people. If you're housing 50 people (whether they are homeless or not) and statistics show that approx 20% of them take heroin and 40% take hard drugs then its not a place you want your kids to be near..

The very good point he's making is that going by your own statistics, where you say 0.7% of the general population use heroin versus 20% of homeless:

Expected number of heroin users in a homeless shelter of 50 people: 10 people
Expected number of heroin users in a local population of 1000 people: 7
Expected number of heroin users in a local population of 10,000 people: 70
etc.

Going purely by statistics alone, the introduction of 50 homeless people into an area of 10,000 people only makes a marginal difference to the expected level of antisocial behaviour.

amascid

Cianos wrote: »

Going purely by statistics alone, the introduction of 50 homeless people into an area of 10,000 people only makes a marginal difference to the expected level of antisocial behaviour.

The area that would be covered by 10k or 100k adults as suggested by the previous poster has nothing to do with the thread. This is an issue that mainly affects Balfe Rd (50 houses) and surrounding streets. The population is much smaller.

alastair

amascid wrote: »

The area that would be covered by 10k or 100k adults as suggested by the previous poster has nothing to do with the thread. This is an issue that mainly affects Balfe Rd (50 houses) and surrounding streets. The population is much smaller.

Once again - what exactly is it you believe addicts are going to be doing to the kids on Balfe Rd, since that’s seemingly the only area of concern in this thread (!)? And which alternate child-free street do you suggest the council use for the homeless services provision? NIMBYism really makes very little sense.

theteal

Just to get my bearings on this, where exactly is this going? I can only think of old factories on the right just before you get to Hughes Rd.

amascid

alastair wrote: »

Once again - what exactly is it you believe addicts are going to be doing to the kids on Balfe Rd, since that’s seemingly the only area of concern in this thread (!)?

alastair wrote: »

there's already plenty of addicts in the community, and so far, there's no evidence of kids suffering as a consequence.

I didn't reply because your comments come across as being crass. There are plenty of studies out there that show the link between addiction and crime (of all sorts); and more to your point- the impact of addiction in the home/community on kids. This is my last comment on an issue that doesn't even impact me.

By the way - I do support the idea of decentralization of shelters to the suburbs even if one was put in my area. I posted because I took issue with some of the posts made- like yours.

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alastair

amascid wrote: »

I didn't reply because your comments come across as being crass. There are plenty of studies out there that show the link between addiction and crime (of all sorts); and more to your point- the impact of addiction in the home/community on kids. This is my last comment on an issue that doesn't even impact me.

By the way - I do support the idea of decentralization of shelters to the suburbs even if one was put in my area. I posted because I took issue with some of the posts made- like yours.

You clearly don't support the idea of decentralisation of shelters if you believe that they're a case of concern to local parents, and they're 'not a place kids should be near'. Because I think you'll find that there's kids near any location you might mention. Now that seems like crass hypocrisy and NIMBYism to me.

And once again - there's already addiction in the community - the small number of potential addicts that would use the services of this shelter are not going to impact on these local kids to any measurable degree. Scaremongering pure and simple.

Delta2113

theteal wrote: »

Just to get my bearings on this, where exactly is this going? I can only think of old factories on the right just before you get to Hughes Rd.

Yes just up on the right -fruit and veg shop on the left.


- Old factories exactly with asbestos roofs but sure they are good enough for the homeless instead of building houses.

Delta2113

Victor wrote: »

No, that was a Boards.ie manager saying you were being disruptive. What bank discusses their security on the internet?

-It was a BOI rep.

obrienl5

Delta2113 wrote: »

-It was a BOI rep.

It is a board's manager. It says it by her name.

Delta2113

obrienl5 wrote: »

It is a board's manager. It says it by her name.

- Sorry apologies - my first thread got deleted , no idea who did it.

Walter Bishop

Delta2113 wrote: »

Yes just up on the right -fruit and veg shop on the left.


- Old factories exactly with asbestos roofs but sure they are good enough for the homeless instead of building houses.

Unless of course those houses were to be built in Walkinstown in which case I'm sure you'd be demanding they be built elsewhere.

Delta2113

Walter Bishop wrote: »

Unless of course those houses were to be built in Walkinstown in which case I'm sure you'd be demanding they be built elsewhere.

- New houses are welcome -shanty towns are not.