The Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann), known as ONE, has announced the commencement of Phase 2 of its Veteran Home Expansion Plan with the addition of eighteen single en-suite bedrooms across three new homes in Cork, Limerick and Newbridge. This represents the largest ever investment in housing for homeless veterans with €3.5m budgeted for the project.
The additional bedrooms will bring the total accommodation capacity managed by the charity for homeless veterans to 69 bedrooms nationwide. Approximately 1,100 homeless veterans have accessed the charity’s services since its first home opened in 1994, with over 90% moving on to permanent housing.
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin T.D will formally launch Phase 2 of ONE’s Home Expansion Plan on 18th July 2025 during a ground-breaking ceremony at 92 Ballyhooly Road, in Cork City, which will be named Brú Uí Choileáin. Each of the three new Homes, including Brú an tSairséalaigh in Limerick City and Brú Dermot Earley in Newbridge, will provide a safe environment for Defence Forces veterans with wrap around mental health and support services.
Phase 1 of the ONE Veteran Home Expansion Plan saw the opening of Brú na Farraige in Cobh in 2021 which, together with the existing ONE Homes for homeless veterans in Athlone, Dublin and Letterkenny, currently provide 51 single bedrooms. This will be increased to 69 bedrooms on the completion of Phase 2. A further investment in Phase 3, expected to begin in 2027, will see the development of further homes in Galway and Louth, leading to a total of 80 single bedrooms nationwide by 2028.
These new facilities will allow ONE to provide homeless veterans with a safe, secure and supportive space, warm meals, camaraderie, care and hope, for as long as it is needed. Ninety percent of the veterans helped by ONE escape the cycle of homelessness and move on to permanent housing and this is a key motivation behind the work they do, work that is summarised in four words: Support, Comradeship, Advocacy, and Remembrance.
ONE is a registered charity for veterans of the Defence Forces with the primary objective of supporting the needs of Irish veterans through:
- The provision of accommodation to homeless veterans in its Veteran Homes.
- The provision of advice and support, in particular Mental Health advice, through its nationwide network of Branches, Veteran Support Centres and Veteran Support Officers.
ONE needs your support. You can help with its vital work by donating at: https://one-veterans.org/donate/
