The Dublin Simon Community and Merchants Quay Ireland initiated this feasibility study in order to explore the possibility of setting up a direct access hostel in Dublin for people who are sleeping rough and using drugs.

Homelessness poses a threat to physical and mental health, and recent research supports the hypothesis that the extent of drug use is proportionally higher in the homeless population than in the rest of the population. This study includes reviews of three forms of accommodation for homeless drug users and two residential detoxification centres in London and Edinburgh. The findings from this report present a strong argument for the necessity of a direct access hostel in Dublin specifically for homeless drug users.

The report also identifies the need for a separate hostel for homeless people who no longer use drugs or who are on methadone maintenance. The report concludes that although these service do not provide a solution to homelessness, they do provide an opportunity for the homeless drug user to address their drug use and their homelessness in a safe and secure environment.