There are reports that homeless people are sleeping in the fields around Carrickmacross. A local councillor from the area made the shocking comments during a meeting when we learned that 137 people have presented to Monaghan County Council as homeless so far this year.
Of that cohort, 23 of those presentations were families. One couple approached the Council for support because they found themselves homeless, 126 were single females but the largest grouping was 87 single males. Half of the presentations received - or 69 - were Irish nationals, 25 were of unknown nationality and 20 were from Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. The remainder of presentations are from countries ranging from Algeria to Zimbabwe.
Sinn Féin councillor Noel Keelan said the people sleeping in tents and fields around Carrickmacross are locals: :
