Homelessness figures in Ireland reach new record of 16,614

Homelessness has reached another record high in Ireland as the number of people using emergency accommodation rose to 16,614.

Figures for September published on Friday show 11,376 adults and 5,238 children accessed emergency accommodation last month.

The number of children recorded as homeless has risen from 5,145 to 5,238 between August and September.

The number of children experiencing homelessness surpassed 5,000 in July and has increased each month since.

Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said governments had failed children forced into emergency accommodation.

She said: “Children should be thinking about dressing up and going trick or treating, not wondering where they’ll sleep tonight.

“Families should be planning fun activities – not counting how many nights they have left in an emergency bed. Young people should be starting their lives, not starting adulthood in homelessness.”

The statistics do not include people sleeping rough, “couch-surfing” or those in hospitals, asylum seeker centres or domestic violence shelters.

The number of people accessing emergency accommodation has been steadily increasing for years.

It surpassed 10,000 people for the first time in 2019 and again in February 2020.

An eviction ban was imposed from November 2022 until the end of March 2023 in an attempt to control rising homelessness numbers.

Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said it represented another “very, very grim” set of figures, with homelessness up across almost all categories – including another 50 families.

He called on Housing Minister James Browne to ensure his housing plan prioritises ending long-term homelessness.

Mr O Broin said: “That means he needs to increase the targets for the delivery of social housing, he needs to increase the funding for those homes above what was announced in the budget in October.

“We cannot simply come here month after month and see these numbers increase, so it’s now time for James Browne to put up or shut up.”

Labour housing spokesman Conor Sheehan said the figures were the result of government inaction on housing and asked why a housing tsar had not yet been appointed.

“I’m really, really sick and tired of coming out here every month and saying the same thing as the homeless figures inch and inch towards 20,000,” he said.

“We need the minister to come forward with his new housing plan. The way the figures are going, they will hit 20,000 before the end of this Dail.”

Rory Hearne, housing spokesman for the Social Democrats, said the figures are what happen “when you do not protect vulnerable renters, or prevent them from becoming homeless”.

He said: “After almost six years of Fianna Fail housing ministers, the homelessness crisis continues to spiral.

“Even Fianna Fail backbenchers agree that the Government is failing to get to grips with housing.

“There has been a complete and utter failure to prioritise those in and facing homelessness, showing an abhorrent lack of compassion.”