The Taoiseach officially opened an emergency service for vulnerable women and children in Cork that had undergone a €7.5 million renovation. He referred to the service as “vital.”
Up to 13 families and 20 single women who are homeless can find emergency housing at Edel House, which is managed by Good Shepherd Cork.
According to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, this marks a significant milestone in Edel House’s 50-year history.
He claimed that the renovation of the building represented a €7.5 million investment by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage in the “most vulnerable in the city’s” need for essential contemporary facilities.
“I want to applaud the collaboration over the past few years between Good Shepherd and the statutory agencies, the City Council, and other bodies in the sector to seek to broaden and deepen the services that are provided to the most vulnerable in the city,” he said.
As the emergency service celebrates its 50th anniversary, CEO Allison Aldred said the opening of new and upgraded facilities during the current homelessness crisis is relevant.
“We are extremely grateful to our funders for the resources to expand the scale and scope of our services and to our dedicated staff for their commitment to our work.
“We are also hugely respectful of the courage and determination of the many women and children who have stayed in Edel House over the past 50 years, and those living with us today, as they move on from the traumas of homelessness.”
Edel House, which was established in 1973, is one of the services provided by Good Shepherd Cork to women, children, and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming so.
Other options include the 70-bed Redclyffe Family Hub on Western Road, the Riverview Residential Care for Teenage Girls on the North Mall, and the Good Shepherd Cork’s Support & Advocacy Services located at Henry Street in the city.