Levels of homelessness and drug use reached ‘unprecedented levels' last year, Merchant's Quay Ireland (MQI) has warned.

The national voluntary organisation, which works with drugs users and homeless people, has just published its 2015 Annual Review, which highlights the increasing levels of hardship faced by many vulnerable men and women today.

According to the review, over 7,500 people accessed MQI's homeless services in 2015, and the organisation provided almost 99,000 meals for homeless and hungry people during the year.

With so many people having to sleep rough, MQI opened its Night Café in January 2015. This is available from 11pm to 8am and caters for up to 50 people every night.

Meanwhile, the review also revealed that 2,676 people used MQI's needle exchange service. Some 461 of these were first-time users of the service.

Demand for residential detoxification and drug-free rehabilitation programmes was high, with 175 admissions to these services in 2015. Among these, there was an 83% detox completion rate.

Commenting on the review, MQI chief executive, Tony Geoghegan, said that Ireland now stands ‘at such an important crossroads'.

"At Merchants Quay, we remain as committed as ever to supporting people out of homelessness and addiction. But with unprecedented levels of both in 2015, it grows ever harder for us and, more importantly, for the people we serve," he commented.

However, he insisted that now is the time for positive change.

"We hope that the Government will hold to its commitments to prioritise the issues of homelessness and drugs and will provide the leadership and resources needed to address these issues in a real and meaningful way. I hope we can all work together to take the right path," he added.

For more information on the work of MQI, click here