News
Our 2016 Annual Report has Landed!
We’re delighted to announce that our 2016 Annual Report has been launched. Our report was launched by Labour Party Senator Aodhán Ó’Ríordáin, and showed the continuing growth of homelessness and the impact on the drug crisis in Ireland.
Some of the statistics in the report showed;
- Unprecedented levels of homelessness, with 6,539 using MQI’s homeless services in 2016. Nearly 10,000 people nationwide with needs from addiction, mental health and homelessness accessed MQI services last year.
- 117,398 meals were provided for Ireland’s homeless and hungry throughout 2016, which is an increase of 19% compared to 2015.
- 2,022 people used MQI’s emergency shelter services provided through our Night Café. The Night Café originally opened as a temporary measure in early 2015 – the urgent need for a place for people to sleep has saw the continuation of the service, catering up to 70 people per night, between 11pm and 7:30am every night of the week.
- 7,649 healthcare interventions were initiated in 2016 by our primary healthcare services, an increase of 73% compared to 2015.
- 2,519 individuals used MQI’s needle exchange service. 421 were first time presenters to the service. 2016 saw a total of 25,603 needle exchange visits.
- 186 admissions to residential detoxification and drug-free rehabilitation programmes. Of the 114 people who completed rehabilitation programmes, 47% were homeless.
CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland, Tony Geoghegan remarked that there needs to be an increase in investment for vital services so more people can be moved out of homeless services and into recovery programmes and stable accommodation. We need to recognise society is not just about money, society is people, their lives, and addressing the drugs and homeless crisis so we can save lives.
