Two UN experts on the human rights to water and sanitation and adequate housing have expressed concern over the increasing number of homeless people in Cork and their lack of access to water and sanitation. Over 700 people are homeless in the city of approximately 120,000 inhabitants. The number of homeless has risen in the last few years due to the lack of affordable housing and the impact of austerity measures, according to the UN. “It is deeply worrying that there have been no free and adequate public installations for water or public toilets in Cork for the last ten years,” said Léo Heller, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation. “This effectively means the denial of access to water and sanitation for the homeless.”
