Print page Email a friend

You are here: Home » Our services » Services on the Map » Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Established in 2002, Depaul Ireland was the result of an invitation by local and central government in Ireland, who were keen to build on Depaul's expertise in the UK in working with people who are homeless and with problems of addiction. Over the last 7 years Depaul Ireland has grown from a small Dublin based charity to become a significant leader in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in addressing homelessness.

In February 2002, the Clancy project in Dublin was set up on a temporary basis as a nightshelter for young drug users - it is still running today, although relocated to new premises.

Our second project in Dublin, a low threshold centre in the Dublin's city centre, was opened in December 2002 in direct response to the needs of long-term street drinkers for whom rehabilitation was not always a possibility. This project was the first of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. The service was intially based on Aungier Street. In 2009, the service moved to James Street and was renamed Orchid House.

Following research and visits to prisons in Dublin by the Guild of St Philip Neri, a St Vincent de Paul conference, an acute need for programmes to assist released female prisoners in their transition to independent living in the community was identified. Our project called Tus Nua Apartments opened in response to this in February 2003.  

Back Lane hostel is a 75-bed project with a well-deserved reputation for providing good quality accommodation, food and support for homeless men in Dublin. The project is managed by Depaul Ireland for the St Vincent de Paul Society in Dublin.

In 2005, we saw the development of a community service in Ballymun and the Community Befriending Programme was piloted to support men moving on from Back Lane.

In 2009, the flagship supported accommodation project in James Street called Sundial House was opened.

Most recently, Depaul Ireland's Dublin services expanded to include an exisiting housing project, Rendu Apartments. The amalgamation was part of the sector wide reconfiguration aimed at improving service provision for homeless people in Dublin.