The homeless crisis in Dublin is expected to get worse as a key hostel is to close.

Pat Doyle the CEO of the Peter McVerry trust has said the closure of a key hostel on Thomas Street in Dublin in the next two weeks is going to make the situation in the capital much worse.

He has said they are now converting sitting rooms in some of their shelters to accommodate the large numbers seeking a bed for the night.

“And if you compare that to hospital beds, you wouldn’t take a 130 hospital beds out of the region, without having an impact on the clients and if these beds close the burden will be carried by the homeless population.

“More people on the streets and more people at risk.”

As well as this, Fr Peter McVerry has said emergency hostels are not considered safe by people seeking shelter.

Mr McVerry said people who use emergency hostels are often offered drugs or suffer intimidation.

“They sleep with their runners under their pillow because they’re afraid they will be robbed.

“The tragedy is that some of the emergency hostels are so frightening and so unsafe that people feel safer sleeping somewhere like Stephen’s Green.”

Mr McVerry said there are around 90 rough sleepers in Dublin alone, but this does not include people sleeping in the suburbs or parks, such as St Stephen’s Green.