New city centre for homeless women in Galway

Simon recently purchased the Tuam Road site for the new facility. It will replace the organisation’s existing high-support residential service for women, which has operated for more than 20 years from a four-bedroom house on the outskirts of the city.

“For over twenty years, Galway Simon Community has provided a 24/7 residential High Support Service for homeless women from a four-bed detached home on the outskirts of Galway City,” the report states.

“The property is no longer fit for purpose and, with only four spaces, is inadequate to meet the needs of the increasing number of women who require this service in a growing city.

“The present proposal seeks to allow Galway Simon Community to expand and enhance the service they provide and to deliver secure accommodation that is fit for purpose and aligned with international best practice.”

A council report highlighted that women who access high-support services are typically referred from emergency accommodation services.

The facility will also support women who have been housed through the Housing First programme but whose tenancies have broken down and who now require supported or sheltered accommodation.

The organisation worked with Galway City Council to secure funding approval in principle from the Department of Housing, which granted Stage 1 approval for the project on January 26.

At this week’s council meeting, Cllr Alan Curran (SocDem) questioned if the funding would come from the council’s planned €60 million borrowing package for major capital projects.

Council officials confirmed that the loan under the Capital Assistance Scheme was separate from that borrowing. The arrangement is “cost neutral” for the local authority as the funding is repaid by the Department of Housing.

Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme.