An Irish man has died after sleeping rough on Thursday last week.
A body of a man was found outside Tesco in the Longwalk Shopping Centre in Dundalk at approximately 12pm on Friday. The man has been named locally as Paul Gorman.
The previous night, temperatures dropped below zero and it’s believed this is the cause of his death. As a result Gardaí are not treating it as suspicious.
According to The Dundalk Democrat, Paul, who was 49-years-old, leaves behind a wife and three children.
Michelle Ryan, from the Dundalk Simon Community has released the following statement on the tragedy:
“This death is a tragic event. It’s heartbreaking. To die alone and on the streets – what could make for a sadder Christmas.
“Our thoughts are with Paul’s family and his many friends – both within and without the homeless community. He will not be forgotten.”
She further stresses the need for a change in our current homeless crisis:
“As a homeless service we have experienced a 20 per cent uptake on 2015. The beds in our hostel are full night after night.
“And as we head into a rough winter our resources are stretched to the limit to meet the demand for shelter, the need for support and the desire to ensure that no one is left out in the freezing night air.
“We would therefore appeal to those with influence, those in power, to those whose voices are louder than our own: please ensure that everyone who needs a place to stay, and anyone who needs emergency accommodation, gets it.”
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