Belfast's Only Hostel For Homeless Women Forced to Close
Claire Dickson
Belfast’s sole women-only hostel for the homeless has had to close due to a number of repairs needed, costing around £500,000.
Regina Coeli House, situated In West Belfast has acted as a source of temporary accommodation for women in the area since 1935. The hostel provides sanctuary to women aiming to escape from violent men, supports women who have lost their homes due to alcohol or drug addiction, provides support for those suffering from serious mental health issues, and takes in women who had previously been under a trafficking regime.
Along with leaving a significant void with regards to the safety and well-being of its residents, the staff will also be made redundant, with the hostel due to close at the end of February 2022. The staff created an online petition with the aim of saving the hostel. As thousands signed it, Unite the Union proposed that this wave of action should be translated as a mark of support for the residents.
West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll joined the protest and considers residents of the hostel to have been treated disgracefully by an organisation which preaches Christianity but shows no regard for the impact of their decision to close a vital hostel. Carroll commented on how this impacted not only women in situations of crisis, but on the workers left without jobs. Through his constituency office he has worked with countless women availing of the service and he added that if Regina Coeli closes its doors, these women will have nowhere as appropriate to go.
The political decision-making regarding the hostel seemingly amounts to a stand-off between the Department for Communities and Legion of Mary (a charity which runs the hostel). The Department claims they must receive proposals from the organisation in order to discuss the issue in-depth and seek a solution.
The aforementioned reasons for the hostel’s retention were presented in full glare at an emergency Belfast City Council meeting. Steps towards progress were made as Paul McCusker of the SDLP tabled a motion to call for a meeting with the Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey, alongside Legion of Mary and the Housing Executive to discuss the closure and its consequences.
A Sinn Féin councillor took action in tabling an amendment to the motion, which was passed by members. The motion called for the Diocese of Down and Dromore to intervene if Legion of Mary didn’t do its utmost best to find a solution. Other councillors conveyed their distaste at the prospect of closure and highlighted their respect for the hostel’s staff. People Before Profit Councillor, Fiona Ferguson, spoke of how the hostel has saved many lives across the city, and emphasised the immense need for this kind of service in Belfast.
Thankfully, these were not solely words. A commitment to the protection of homeless women’s rights in Belfast came in the form of an unanimous decision to pass McCusker’s motion. Support from all parties behind the campaign should give the Communities Minister a mandate to fulfil this. Hopefully Deidre Hargey will choose to be associated with increasing, rather than removing, safe spaces for women, such as Regina Coeli.
Claire Dickson is a Culture Reporter and Politics student at Queen’s University Belfast.