Cork City Council Opens Indoor Facility for Homeless Street Kitchen Services

Cork City Council has opened a new indoor facility on Kyrl's Quay, providing volunteer-led homeless support groups with a safe, sheltered space to operate their street kitchen services in the city centre.

The facility, located to the rear of North Main Street Shopping Centre, became operational on Thursday night following several weeks of preparatory work involving gardaí and representatives of various volunteer groups that previously operated street-side soup kitchens across the city centre.

Cork City Council sourced and secured the premises before carrying out internal modifications to accommodate the services. A roster has been agreed with most volunteer-led service providers to use the facility on various weeknights.

The facility can accommodate up to 70 people and features a secure back office area for logistics and deliveries, a food service area, several picnic-style benches in a large dining hall, and multiple mobile phone charging points for service users. Security staff will be present during operating hours, and the premises is monitored by CCTV.

Volunteer groups will bring their food to the facility ready to serve, maintaining their established service model in improved conditions.

Brian Geaney, Assistant Chief Executive of Cork City Council, said:

"This facility will allow the groups to provide their services in a safe and secure indoor space in the City Centre, ensuring the dignity of their service users and ensuring the safety of their volunteers."

He added that the council was anxious to support the volunteer-led groups and their service users.

Separately, Cork City Council is working with HSE South West and other partners to deliver a proposed Integrated Homeless Services hub in another location. This daytime facility will function as a one-stop-shop for all homeless services, including healthcare services, and will offer a safe space for rest and recreation.

A proposal for the hub has been developed, and the City Council is currently working closely with HSE South West and homeless services to update the proposal and agree a funding model.