President attends anniversary event for veterans’ homeless charity

By Jonathan McCambridge, Press Association

President Catherine Connolly has attended an event marking the 75th anniversary of a veterans’ homeless charity.

The Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (Oglaigh Naisiunta na hEireann), known as ONE, marked the anniversary with a ceremony in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, Dublin, on Saturday.

ONE provides a number of services, particularly for homeless veterans and those that need mental health support.

The charity has homes for homeless veterans in Athlone, Cobh, Dublin and Letterkenny which provide 51 single bedrooms.

The 75th Anniversary of ONE coincides with the commencement of phase two of its Veteran Home Expansion Plan with the addition of 17 single en-suite bedrooms across three new homes in Cork, Limerick and Newbridge.

Connolly said: “Since 1951, the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel has played a vital role assisting veterans of our Defence Forces, providing essential professional services, including mental health and homeless services.

“Both of these issues – homelessness and mental healthcare – require urgent attention.

“We must constantly raise awareness across our society to ensure that the motto of the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel – no veteran left behind – becomes the lived reality for those who served in our Defence Forces.”

Chief executive officer of ONE Cormac Kirwan said: “Homelessness and mental health challenges have now become part of our common language but in doing so, they may have unfortunately lost some of their true meaning.

Both of these issues, homelessness and mental healthcare require urgent attention

“The blunt reality is that it is about being without shelter, or compassion, or care, or hope.

“The new facilities will directly enable ONE to provide homeless veterans with a safe, secure and supportive space, warm meals, camaraderie, care and hope, for as long as it is needed.”

The ceremony included a veterans guard of honour to welcome the President and an address by her.

She said one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the charity 75 years ago had been a housing crisis.

Connolly said: “It is now 75 years later and we are suffering yet another housing crisis, 17,112 people, including 5,319 children residing in emergency accommodation in January of this year. The figure has probably risen.”