14 additional beds have been made available for people who are homeless in Galway City over the winter months.

The new night-time accommodation project on Seamus Quirke road in the city is attached to the COPE Galway Day Centre for people who are homeless and would otherwise have to sleep rough.

The project is due to run until the end of March.

The unit has capacity to accommodate up to 14 people each night, as part of the Cold Weather Response.

Galway City Council and COPE Galway have worked together to bring the project into operation.

Those in need of accommodation are provided with a hot meal on arrival and staff are on site to assist those availing of a bed for the night, and to help in finding longer term solutions to their homelessness.