An Irishman named Andy Farrell who has been on the streets asked me to share his story with you today, warts and all: "On 29th december after living in galway for 5 years or so i went in to a rehab centre in limerick. When i completed it I went in to a transition house also in limerick. Towards the end of july i relapsed and was asked to leave the transition house where i spent a few weeks on the streets of limerick. I take full accountability for my actions i put myself there by drinking unfortunately. A few weeks after this i got a bus to waterford where i jumped in to the river to take my own life. This was unsuccessful and i was pulled from the water and admitted to hospital. 1 week later i was discharged to see a mental health team in waterford. I asked not to be discharged as i didnt feel ready and told them i would jump in again. They discharged me and that night i jumped in to the river again, again it was unsuccesful. I also had been drinking through this time. When i got out of hospital i sought help from waterford county council but they told me i had no local connection and they wouldnt be able to help me on any shape or form. And to go to either to galway where my previous address had been or wicklow county council where my mam dad and sister have lived for over 10 and 20 years. That would qualify as a local connection. When i contacted Galway county council they said my application has been closed over a year that there was no need for me to go back there. So after 5 weeks on the streets of waterford, i made a decision to travel to wicklow county council to seek help. I travelled up on thursday 1st October. I filled out a housing application form and they done a brief homeless assesment on me and i was told i couldnt avail of the emergency homeless services and to go back to waterford. When i rang waterford they told me to stay in wicklow. So after emails back and forth they invited me for another assesment on tuesday 6th of October. Bearing in mind by then i slept another 5 nights on the street. When I went to the homeless assesment on Tuesday i met with a woman called Winifred and a man called Anthony where they asked me a series of questions pretty irrelevant to my application. The end result they said that my local connection wasnt strong enough. Even though by their own papers and legislation it says if a family memeber lives in the county for more than 2 continous years, this is provided as a local connection. When i asked what am i going to do winifred advised me to go to bray to avail of a tent and a sleeping bag and sleep on the streets. Since then i have been sleeping on the streets of wicklow town. I am currently sober and attending AA meetings. I have TD's and councillors working to advocate for me but to no avail. There is a homeless hostel called kilmantin lodge in wicklow town which i have on good authority they have beds free yet i have been left on a doorway for 8 nights in wicklow with absoloutely no credible reason." #HouseTheIrish