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Return & Relocation Support Programme – Annual Report 2025

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Barka for Mutual Help Ireland

Return & Relocation Support Programme – Annual Report 2025

01/01/2025 – 31/12/2025

BARKA IRELAND IN NUMBERS:

TOTAL NUMBER OF RECONNECTIONS IN 2025:

131 Persons

TOTAL NUMBER OF RECONNECTIONS SINCE ESTABLISHMENT:

1238 Persons

BARKA IE: Helping People Reconnect and Reintegrate

Introduction

BARKA IE is a charitable organization based in Dublin, dedicated to assisting individuals experiencing homelessness.

Established in 2011, BARKA IE is a part of the global BARKA Network, which has branches in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, and Iceland, with its origins in Poland. The organization was founded in response to the rising number of Central and Eastern European migrants living on the streets of Ireland, struggling with homelessness and substance abuse.

Mission and Approach

BARKA IE aims to provide sustainable solutions for people experiencing homelessness. The organization primarily focuses on helping individuals reconnect with their home countries and socially reintegrate. This is facilitated through the extensive support network provided by the Barka Foundation Network in Poland, which offers opportunities for individuals to reunite with their families or receive help for addiction problems

Services Provided

BARKA IRELAND 4 core objectives are:

1. Provide Information, Advice and Repatriation to a person’s home Country

2. Assistance with Accessing Emergency Accommodation when required

3. Fostering Social and Vocational Integration – educational and community programs, creating workplaces and accessible housing programs (BARKA NETWORK)

4. Key Work and Case Management; Language and Translation Service

 

1. Overview

In 2025, 131 people were supported by Barka for Mutual Help Ireland to return to their countries of origin through structured, safe and voluntary return and relocation assistance.

The programme supports EU nationals and other migrants experiencing homelessness, housing exclusion, health crisis and social vulnerability who are unable to stabilise their situation in Ireland and choose return as their only viable pathway out of crisis.

Despite periods of limited staffing capacity, the programme maintained stable and consistent delivery throughout the year.

 

2. Gender and Age Profile

Category

Number

%

Men

80

61%

Women

34

26%

Children

17

13%

Total

131

100%

 

The profile reflects the demographic structure of homelessness in Dublin: predominantly single adult men, alongside a significant proportion of families with children, especially in cases of employer-linked or informal accommodation collapse.

 

 

3. Nationality Profile

Nationality group

Share
Romanian

32%
Polish

26%
Other EU nationals

42%

 

Other nationalities included German, Portuguese, Spanish, British, Irish, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian, Latvian, Swedish, French, Ukrainian, Norwegian and others.

This confirms that EU migrant homelessness in Dublin is multi-national, structural and growing in complexity.

4. Homelessness & PASS System

In 2025, 43 of the 131 people supported (32.8%) were registered in the national PASS (Pathway Accommodation & Support System).

However, analysis of housing situations at point of referral shows that:

Housing situation

Number

%
Rough sleeping / street homelessness

83

63.4%
Unsecured or temporary accommodation

48

36.6%
Total

131

100%

 

This demonstrates that nearly two thirds of all beneficiaries were sleeping rough or in street-based situations at the time they were referred to Barka.
PASS captures only part of this population. Many EU migrants cycle between streets, Garda, hospitals, airports and informal accommodation without formal PASS registration. Barka therefore reaches a hidden homeless population that would otherwise remain outside standard service pathways.

 

5. Age Profile of Beneficiaries


Age range: from 0 to 82 years

Typical person supported by Barka is in their early to mid-30s, but with a very wide age spread, including children and elderly people.

Age Distribution

Age group

Number

% of total
Children (0–17)

27

18.1%
Young adults (18–24)

9

7.1%
Adults (25–34)

33

25.2%
Mid-age adults (35–49)

36

28.3%
Older adults (50–64)

20

15.7%
Seniors (65+)

7

5.5%
Total

131

100%

1 in 4 people are either children or seniors
These are high-vulnerability groups that:

  • cannot self-resolve homelessness
  • require safeguarding, healthcare and social protection
  • face extreme risk if left in street homelessness or unstable housing

6. Referral Pathways

Referrals came predominantly from frontline emergency and statutory services:

Referral source

% of all referrals
An Garda Síochána (incl. Airport Police)

21%
MQI (incl. Lighthouse)

11.5%
Capuchin Day Centre

11.5%
Focus Ireland / Focus Family Centre

9.2%
ITAS

7.6%
Hospitals (St James’s, Beaumont, St Vincent’s)

6.1%
HSE Social Inclusion Teams

6.1%
Simon Community

4.6%
DRHE

2.3%
Prisons (Cloverhill, Dochas)

2.3%
Other NGOs

8.4%

 

Over 40% of all referrals originated directly from State services (Garda, HSE, hospitals, prisons, DRHE), confirming that Barka operates inside Dublin’s crisis-response system, not outside it.

 

7. Operational Performance

Despite staffing constraints during part of 2025, Barka delivered:

  • 131 safe and coordinated returns
  • sustained collaboration with all major homelessness and addiction services
  • strong engagement with consulates, hospitals, prisons and Gardaí

This reflects high efficiency, prioritisation of high-risk cases, and strong inter-agency trust.

 

8. Strategic Conclusions
  1. Return support is a homelessness intervention
    With one third of clients in PASS and two thirds sleeping rough or in street-based situations, return support has become a     core homelessness exit pathway for EU migrants in Dublin.
  2. Demand is structural, not temporary
    The wide nationality spread and increasing family cases indicate that migrant homelessness is     not resolving itself.
  3. The programme generates system-wide savings
    Each return prevents long-term use of emergency accommodation, hospital beds, Garda time and NGO crisis services.

 

 

9. Outlook for 2026

Based on 2025 trends, Barka expects:

  • increased referrals from Garda, hospitals and emergency accommodation
  • a higher proportion of PASS-registered EU migrants
  • more families losing housing and requiring return as the only viable option

Return support will therefore become even more critical to Dublin City Council’s homelessness and migration management strategy.

 

10. Final Statement

In 2025, Barka for Mutual Help Ireland supported 131 of the most vulnerable people in Dublin to exit homelessness and social crisis through safe, structured return.

With 63% coming directly from street homelessness and over 40% referred by State services, the programme is now a strategic component of Dublin’s homelessness response and a high-impact, cost-effective intervention for the City.

Success Story 1 – Nauris (Romania)

From street homelessness to family reunification

Nauris came to Ireland after being promised a job and accommodation. When he arrived in Dublin, he discovered that everything he had been told was false. For six weeks he slept on the streets, relying on soup kitchens and, for a short time, emergency night shelters. Eventually even this support ran out and he was left completely homeless.

By the time Barka met him, Nauris had visibly deteriorated. When he showed his passport – needed to arrange his return – staff could barely recognise the exhausted, bearded man he had become.

With Barka’s support, Nauris was able to return safely to Romania, where his wife and two teenage children were waiting for him. What began as a journey built on deception ended in a dignified return home.

Nauris’ story is not unique. Many EU migrants arrive in Ireland expecting stability, only to become trapped in homelessness. Barka provides a vital way out.

Success Story 2 – Małgorzata (Poland)

Escaping abuse and returning home with dignity

Małgorzata, an 83-year-old woman, was brought to Ireland by her son. Over time, his alcohol addiction led to escalating verbal and physical abuse. Eventually the situation became so traumatic that Małgorzata cannot even remember how she escaped. A neighbour intervened and helped her reach a women’s refuge.

At the shelter she received food, clothing, emotional support and medical assessment. She was later admitted to hospital, where early signs of dementia were detected. After one month, doctors confirmed she was fit to live independently and could be discharged.

The shelter contacted Barka, and Małgorzata confirmed she wanted to return to Poland. Her bank card was blocked and her son refused to help, so Barka arranged and funded her flight. With support from hospital staff and Gardaí, she was safely escorted to collect her passport and belongings and then accompanied to the airport.

Małgorzata returned to Poland, where a family member met her. She continues medical treatment, attends a senior club and is planning to learn English — something she had always dreamed of doing. She repeatedly says that Barka “saved her life”.

Success Story 3 – Jerzy (Poland)

From chronic homelessness to recovery and hope

Jerzy (59) had lived in Ireland for over 10 years. After losing his job and driving licence due to alcohol addiction, his health deteriorated and he became homeless. He was registered in PASS and lived in a hostel, but spent most days drinking in public spaces. His mobility and appearance worsened and his future looked bleak.

Barka staff kept in contact with Jerzy through day centres and street outreach, encouraging him to consider returning to Poland for treatment and stability. After many months, he agreed — as long as a Barka worker would accompany him.

Barka secured him a place at Barka in Poznań, arranged a temporary passport and travel, and travelled with him back to Poland. After rest and assessment, Jerzy was referred to a residential addiction treatment programme.

Today, Jerzy remains in regular contact. He proudly describes his new conditions as “luxurious” — including a medical bed — and is focused on achieving sobriety and reconnecting with his family. His success has already inspired another friend in Ireland to plan a return.

 

 

 

Małgorzata’s Journey to Safety and Recovery with Barka

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Małgorzata, an 83-year-old woman, arrived in Ireland a year ago, having been brought by her son. She lived with him for a while, but over time, her son’s behavior became increasingly violent due to his addiction issues. He subjected her to both verbal and physical abuse. One day, things escalated to the point where Małgorzata can’t even recall how the situation unfolded. However, she was rescued by a Polish woman who lived nearby. Małgorzata had confided in her about her troubles, and the woman took action, ensuring that Małgorzata was safe.

The trauma Małgorzata endured was so severe that she does not even remember how she ended up in a shelter for victims of abuse. However, once she arrived at the shelter, she was warmly welcomed and listened to. She was provided with food, clothing, shelter, and specialized support. During the initial assessment, the staff decided to seek medical assistance. As a result, Małgorzata was admitted to the hospital, where early signs of dementia were detected.

After a month-long stay in the hospital and further tests, doctors confirmed that Małgorzata was capable of living independently. She was ready to be discharged. At this point, the social worker from the shelter reached out to Barka for further assistance. A Barka staff member visited Małgorzata at the hospital and confirmed her desire to return to her home in Poland. However, Małgorzata’s Polish bank card was blocked, and her son was unwilling to help her financially. After discussing the situation, Barka decided to purchase an airline ticket for her.

A few days later, the Barka staff member, together with a hospital worker and Gardai (Irish police), accompanied Małgorzata to her son’s house for a final visit. There, Małgorzata collected her passport and other essential belongings. The staff ensured her safety and support throughout the entire process. Once everything was in order, the flight ticket was purchased, and Barka’s staff member escorted Małgorzata to the airport. Małgorzata returned to Poland, where she was met by a distant relative at the airport.

Throughout this journey, Małgorzata expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the life-changing support she received from Barka. She frequently mentioned that Barka had “saved her life” and thanked everyone involved in helping her return home. Back in Poland, Małgorzata plans to continue her medical treatment and participate in local senior club meetings. Among her goals is to learn English, a language she has always wanted to master.

Impact and Outcomes:

  • Małgorzata received immediate shelter, care, and medical support after escaping a dangerous situation.
  • Early intervention allowed her to receive the necessary diagnosis and treatment for dementia.
  • Barka facilitated her safe return to Poland, where she was reunited with her family and began to regain control of her life.
  • Małgorzata’s plans involve continuing her healthcare journey and engaging in social activities, ensuring her continued independence and well-being.

Barka’s Role: Barka’s intervention was critical in Małgorzata’s recovery and safe return home. Our team not only provided emotional and logistical support but also helped her navigate through a challenging situation. We are proud to have been part of Małgorzata’s journey and continue to support individuals like her who need assistance.