We are very pleased to inform you that our centre will re-open on Monday 20th July 2020 adhering to all Covid-19 guidelines. It will not be possible for us to cater for the number of people we met prior to the pandemic however we will strive to cope with as many people as possible.
Thanks to all our friends and supporters who kept in touch with us and gave us great encouragement during this very challenging time.
After a lot of soul-searching and discussion with our Directors the Alice Leahy Trust decided to close on Friday 13th March.
Our centre is too small to ensure social distancing and the safety of our staff and the people who use our service would be compromised.
The people who call to use our service or visit us come from all over the city and beyond.
We too are conscious that we operate in the basement of a large city hostel and we must be mindful of their residents.
We do regret having to close but we had no option – we informed Dublin Regional Homeless Executive of our decision.
Jeanette is able to keep the office going from home and we liaise daily.
Like everyone else, we are daily monitoring the situation in these challenging times.
We look forward to the day when we can open our doors again but in the meantime – keep safe everyone.
Alice Leahy – Director of Services, Alice Leahy Trust
Letter to Irish Times: Seanad Election – University Seats
Sir, – Brendan Wright highlights what is clearly unfair and unjust about the Seanad Election.
Writing to your paper on January 30th 2002, I said “it is a highly undemocratic way of electing members of a chamber that has an important role in our democracy”. I also went on to say “the idea that only university graduates should have a vote, when many of the PAYE workers who paid their taxes to subsidise their education are excluded, seems quite indefensible”.
My views firmly remain the same 23 years on. Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY
Director of Services
Alice Leahy Trust
Dublin 8
Sir, – Breda O’Brien (“Friendship beats Bluesky for your mental health”, Opinion & Analysis, November 30th) points to an important issue: “Today our troubles stem from the inability to sit and quietly chat in the same room with someone.”
This is increasingly noticeable in the delivery of public services and is sadly creeping into the NGO sector. Ticking the box, aided by the computer screen, while even avoiding eye contact, is further isolating fellow human beings, and those giving time in delivery of much-needed services can find themselves being accused of wasting valuable time.
Tony Gill, a street poet who rests in our plot in Glasnevin Cemetery, wrote:
“Today I spoke to no one,
And nobody spoke to me.
Am I dead?”
Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY,
Director of Services,
Alice Leahy Trust,
Dublin 8.
Letter to The Irish Times, 23 Oct 2024
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Sir, – Reading of the deaths of 40 people so far this year who were homeless in Dublin makes for sad reading (News, October 22nd).
Some of those people were known to us. In spite of the efforts of so many from the NGO and statutory sector and their families, their lives ended while homeless in our capital city. This points to the complexities of homelessness, which is so often seen as being just a housing problem alone. This poses challenges, difficult to understand and therefore difficult to address.
May all those who have died now rest in peace and their families be comforted in the knowledge that while they were living in some cases far from “home” were in touch with services.
Yours etc.
ALICE LEAHY
Director of Services
Alice Leahy Trust
Dublin 8
