A DEAL has been reached to save Belfast's only homeless hostel for women from closure.
The Regina Coeli House hostel, run by the Legion of Mary - a Catholic voluntary organisation - faced closure amid funding shortages, but a last minute-deal between staff and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has kept the doors open.
The hostel is the only one of its kind for women in Belfast and many of its 21 residents have mental health problems and substance abuse issues.
Both residents and staff had been told last month that the facility, located in Lake Glen Avenue, would be closed by yesterday.
However, talks between the organisation and the Housing Executive, mediated by West Belfast MP Paul Maskey, have secured a new funding agreement.
A Housing Executive spokeswoman said:“We remain committed to ensuring there is adequate provision of services for vulnerable women in the city and will continue to work in partnership with Regina Coeli House, and other service providers, to meet this aim.
“We had asked Regina Coeli to submit a funding proposal and following discussions, agreement on an appropriate level of funding has been reached. The Housing Executive funding aims to ensure the service remains open and is sustainable, going forward.”
Welcoming the development, Mr Maskey said: “It has been hard work to get to this stage. It was unfortunate that the residents and the staff had to face this predicament.
"Now that extra resources have been agreed, the hostel can continue to play its vital role as the only refuge of this kind for vulnerable women in Belfast.”
Charlie McGarry, who manages Rosemount House - a similar hostel for men in north Belfast - said it was a relief that the hostel was saved.
“There has been goodwill from both sides to save Regina Coeli, and I very much welcome that,” he said.
No-one from the Legion of Mary was available for comment.
