Homeless Day Services
MQI’s Open Access Homeless and Drug Service offers a wide range of day services to Ireland’s homeless, hungry and those struggling with addiction. Take a virtual tour of our Riverbank Centre in Dublin 8 here.
In response to the worsening homeless crisis, the Riverbank building located on Dublin’s Merchants Quay welcomed 9,882 people in 2020 alone. The majority of men and women who come through our doors are among Ireland’s most isolated – struggling with homelessness, mental illness, and addiction.
The centre provides a tremendous range of services to help some of Ireland’s most vulnerable find pathways to recovery. Here, MQI’s dedicated staff build trusting relationships with clients which often starts with a cup of tea and a warm meal.
Opening Times
Homeless Day Service
Monday – Friday: 8.00 am– 12:30 pm and 2 pm – 4.30 pm
Sunday Breakfast: 9.15am – 10.30am
Sunday Dinner: 11.00 am – 1.15 pm
EDS operates Monday – Friday: 5.30 pm –7.00 pm
GP and Nurse
GP: Tuesday – Friday: 9.00 am – 11.30 am and 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm
Nurse: Monday – Friday: 8.45 am – 4.30 pm
Dentist (by appointment only)
Tuesday & Wednesday: 9.00 am – 4.30 pm. Call 01 524 0968 for an appointment.
Our homeless day service offers:
- Hot showers
- Free food – breakfast, lunch and evening meals
- Advice and information on what services are available and how best to access these services
- Healthcare service includes a doctor, nurse, dentist, counsellor, and mental health team.
- Case management service
- Dedicated Young Person Support Worker for young people aged 18 – 25
Who can use this service?
Adults who are homeless, struggling with addiction or in need of support are welcome to drop into our Riverbank Centre without an appointment.
How can I access this service?
You can access this service by dropping by the Riverbank centre at the following times:
Extended Day Service (EDS)
Our EDS service is continuing to operate between 5.30 pm and 7.00 pm.
The EDS service offers evening meals, crisis support, information advice and assistance to homeless people and rough sleepers The EDS ensures there is a continuum of care, and that there is support available to clients when other services are closed.
EDS operates Monday – Friday: 5.30 pm – 7.00 pm
You can also phone us on (01) 524 0160
Other Services
Merchants Quay Ireland has responded to the ever-growing needs of our clients. When basic needs have been taken care of, many people need to avail of other services. The Counselling Service for homeless people works at two levels. Firstly, providing a brief crisis counselling service targeted at service users in distress. Secondly, offering medium to long-term counselling relating to issues such as relationships, bereavement, and drug use.
A Young Person’s Support Worker was employed in 2015 to work with young people who come to Merchants Quay, aged just 18-25. The aim of the position is to enable young people to address the core problems in their lives, link in with training, education and employment services, make a swift exit from homeless services, and move forward with a new purpose. In 2019, 546 young people were supported by our Young Person’s Support worker to move on from crisis and onto a positive pathway in life. This number has more than doubled since 2018.