Galway Bay fm newsroom - The number of people in the city in need of temporary accommodation over the winter months has doubled over the past five years.
Officials presented the "winter bed initiative" at City Hall this week which aims to provide beds and accommodation over a 27 week period beginning in October.
Over 30 people will need assistance in what is known as the Winter Bed Initiative this coming winter and spring.
These are people who may sleep outdoors much of the time in the city.
This is a doubling of the numbers five years ago when 14 people needed this assistance.
The scheme fired of a wider debate about housing and the situation facing families who live for long periods in hotels.
Councillor Alan Cheevers said that many landlords did not want to rent out to Council tenants a view re-echoed by Councillors Noel Larkin and Frank Fahey.
Councillor Larken said that the best option for the future would be the development of a new town at Ardaun to the north of the City.
The debate had a sharp political edge with Councillors John Connolly (Fianna Fáil) and Eddie Hoare (Fine Gael) exchanging brickbats about what their respective party's were doing about the housing issue.
