Homelessness

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#Homelessness

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>'People who are sleeping on the streets and who find themselves with nowhere to go during daytime, without doubt, that’s the sharpest end.' Stock picture</p>

munster

People in 'mental anguish' due to cost-of-living crisis, says Cork charity chief

In 2025, 190 single-person households and 142 families exited homelessness in Cork

<p>The homeless numbers tick closer to 20,000 with every month and there is little in the way of anger from the public. File picture</p>

comment-analysis

Paul Hosford: Homeless numbers continue to rise — but where is the outrage?

<p>Homelessness hits new record as more than 17,000 people in emergency accommodation</p>

news

Ireland’s homeless population reaches record 17,885 as Cork figures hit new high

Simon Week 2026

news

Government urged to take 'meaningful' action in fighting homelessness

Woman hand holds wooden house in the form of heart against the sun

comment-analysis

One big push to end homelessness by 2030: Why hope is not naivety but a necessity

Stock house building

munster

Limerick TD calls for faster housing delivery as up to 12 people live under one roof

Desperate Woman

'He’s so content going to bed at night': Homeless mother says getting a house has made her young son 'so happy'

Woman spoke about her experience at the launch of Focus Ireland’s annual report, where the housing charity said it supported a 'record high' number of people last year

Wed, 09 Sep, 2026

Parent comforting helping sad emotional child at home, concept of bullying, stress disappointment, sadness.

Addressing child poverty is Government’s 'north star', says Taoiseach

Micheál Martin has said the Government has set itself clear targets to reduce child poverty out to 2030

Thu, 03 Sep, 2026

Depaul: 93% spike in mental health issues affecting homeless families

Depaul: 93% spike in mental health issues affecting homeless families

Bianca tells Niamh Griffin how Depaul helped her through homelessness and now she is about to move into a new apartment with her children

Tue, 01 Sep, 2026

Groups piloting tools to test street drugs to identify new and dangerous substances

Groups piloting tools to test street drugs to identify new and dangerous substances

Ana Liffey Drug Project's annual report points to new and potent drugs and increasing homelessness

Mon, 31 Aug, 2026

Happy family on train station

Homelessness figure rises again as more than 17,500 people in emergency accommodation

New figures show a further rise in homelessness, as Simon Communities calls for greater political urgency to address the crisis.

Fri, 28 Aug, 2026

Staying home with flu virus

Housing crisis having ‘huge impact’ on health of people on low incomes, expert warns

A St James’s Hospital consultant says secure housing is crucial to health and warns homelessness makes medical follow-up harder

Thu, 20 Aug, 2026

Homeless people face fire safety issues, mould and broken fittings in emergency accommodation

Homeless people face fire safety issues, mould and broken fittings in emergency accommodation

The checks were carried out by inspectors working on behalf of the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive

Tue, 18 Aug, 2026

Housing stock

Housing department rejects claim tenant-in-situ scheme has been 'demoted'

Green TD and councillor in war of words with Department of Housing which says local authority purchasing tool 'is not a scheme'

Sun, 16 Aug, 2026

Sad boy standing alone in the hallway

Emergency homelessness spending hits €449m as housing crisis deepens

Government figures show emergency accommodation costs have doubled since 2021 as thousands remain without permanent homes

Sat, 15 Aug, 2026

Sad boy

Summer homelessness can disrupt children’s development, psychologist warns

More than 250 children in Cork and Kerry are spending their summer holidays in emergency accommodation, charity figures show

Tue, 11 Aug, 2026

Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide: The endless days on Cork city's streets

S Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide: The endless days on Cork city's streets

Donal O'Keeffe examines addiction, homelessness and rough sleeping as calls grow for expanded support services across Cork city

Sun, 09 Aug, 2026

Housing assistance payments

Simon Communities: Budget 2027 must raise Hap limits as use of the housing scheme falls

'Locked Out of the Market' report found just 20 properties available to rent within Hap limits in the 16 areas it surveyed

Thu, 06 Aug, 2026

Small sad boy looking through the window during Coronavirus isolation.

Homelessness reaches new record in Cork as national total rises to 17,482

New figures show homelessness continues to rise nationally, while Cork Simon says single adults are being overlooked in housing policy.

Fri, 31 Jul, 2026

'Will I always be stuck in this shelter?': Homeless single adults in Cork say getting housing 'impossible'

'Will I always be stuck in this shelter?': Homeless single adults in Cork say getting housing 'impossible'

Cork Simon report sets out how single adults now make up more than 80% of the households in emergency accommodation in the region, and at the end of 2025, only 5% of them left homelessness for a home of their own

Wed, 29 Jul, 2026

Man found dead at Dublin recycling facility had left Cork ‘safe and well’

Man found dead at Dublin recycling facility had left Cork ‘safe and well’

Andrew Haire, 35, had been sleeping rough in Cork and receiving support from homeless services before travelling to Dublin, where his body was discovered at a recycling depot less than 24 hours later

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

Housing Stock

Charities criticise delay in homelessness action plan

St Vincent de Paul's head of social justice and policy highlighted the 'trauma that children go through'

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

Family homelessness action plan delayed until September

Family homelessness action plan delayed until September

Delays to the plan have been criticised by Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland

Mon, 27 Jul, 2026

Young women sitting in dark room feeling pain with life problem. suffering from husband violence, Stop violence against and se

Homelessness plan measures to help domestic violence victims stay in their homes

Homeless action plan to receive up to €20m in funding and expected to receive Cabinet approval on Tuesday

Tue, 21 Jul, 2026

Haircuts 4 Homeless: ‘What’s shared in the chair stays in the chair’

Haircuts 4 Homeless: ‘What’s shared in the chair stays in the chair’

Trevor Hynes and other professional hairdressers treat their homeless clients exactly the same as the clients in their salons

Sun, 19 Jul, 2026

Homeless man ‘lucky’ he didn’t die after gang attack

Homeless man ‘lucky’ he didn’t die after gang attack

The swelling on Hussein’s face was so severe that doctors had to wait six days to carry out surgery on his jaw

Mon, 13 Jul, 2026

Housing Infrastructure

Tadgh McNally: Will James Browne's reforms deliver on housing?

Housing minister must find solutions to the decade-long crisis — solutions that previously eluded his predecessors Simon Coveney, Eoghan Murphy, Darragh O’Brien

Sun, 28 Jun, 2026

Inside Safetynet Primary Care: The mobile GP service transforming homeless healthcare

Inside Safetynet Primary Care: The mobile GP service transforming homeless healthcare

A Dublin GP and outreach team are bringing healthcare, dignity and hope to people experiencing homelessness across the capital

Sun, 28 Jun, 2026

Desperate Woman

Homeless figures still at 'deeply alarming level' despite slight fall in numbers, charities warn

Number of people living in emergency accommodation fell from record high of 17,548 in April to 17,447 in May

Fri, 26 Jun, 2026

Happy family on train station

New social housing law will 'add to Ireland's escalating homeless crisis', say housing bodies

A group say they are 'greatly disturbed at the speed' with which the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 is being 'rushed' through the Oireachtas

Tue, 23 Jun, 2026

Happy family on train station

Paul Hosford: Eviction ban back on agenda as homelessness crisis becomes impossible to ignore

The fact a new report by Dáil housing committee mentions an eviction ban is an indication the crisis has grown to a point where it is completely undeniable to anyone

Thu, 18 Jun, 2026

Tenancy Agreement

Government urged to keep eviction ban option open to tackle homelessness

Report outlines 14 recommendations aimed at preventing homelessness and accelerating access to long-term housing

Thu, 18 Jun, 2026

Richmond Village housing development

Report urges social housing rate review and appeals system overhaul

Oireachtas committee report to be published on Thursday and expected to be critical of Government action on homelessness

Wed, 17 Jun, 2026

Unrecognizable couple arriving at the accommodation with their suitcases

ieExplains: How will restricting Airbnb-style short-term lets affect housing supply?

Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2025 proposes to curtail Airbnb-style short-term lets to free up properties that could be rented by people living in an area rather than tourists

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026

TASKFORCE REPORT

Government to restrict access to homeless services under new residency rules

Plans will introduce lawful and habitual residency tests for access, with a limited safety net of emergency accommodation available in strictly defined circumstances

Thu, 11 Jun, 2026

Happy family on train station

Homelessness crisis will remain a challenge for years, admits minister

Housing minister says rising population continues to outpace supply despite increased delivery of homes nationwide

Thu, 11 Jun, 2026

IRELAND-ECONOMY-POLITICS-REAL ESTATE-HOUSING

Special report: Faces of homelessness have been changing over the last decade

The near total wipeout of social housing following the financial crash is at the root of the 'HAP trap' cost

Mon, 08 Jun, 2026

Happy family on train station

Homeless figures hit new record as 17,548 people live in emergency accommodation

Housing charities warn of mounting pressure on renters as homelessness figures continue to rise nationwide

Fri, 29 May, 2026

Merchant's Quay Ireland injection facility granted retention permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála

Merchant's Quay Ireland injection facility granted retention permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála

The facility must now obtain a renewal of its licence from the Department of Health in order to continue operation

Thu, 21 May, 2026

Property To Let, London.

Notices to quit surge by 51% before rental law changes took effect

A sharp rise in eviction notices was recorded before controversial tenancy reforms came into effect at the end of March

Thu, 14 May, 2026

Homeless figures

Planning regulation uncertainty fuels criticism of short-term let register delay

The register was due to be introduced by May 20, but on Wednesday the government confirmed it will come into effect from December 1

Wed, 13 May, 2026

Life on the Shannon: Meet the Irish liveaboards choosing houseboats over rising rents

Life on the Shannon: Meet the Irish liveaboards choosing houseboats over rising rents

From rising costs to freedom and simplicity, Ireland’s liveaboards explain the realities of making homes on waterways

Sun, 10 May, 2026

Tourists visiting 'affluent' Clonakilty don't see the 'poverty and social issues', says councillor

Tourists visiting 'affluent' Clonakilty don't see the 'poverty and social issues', says councillor

Social Democrats councillor Isobel Towse has called for a family resource centre for the town to provide support to its 'disadvantaged' residents

Sat, 09 May, 2026

Upset depressed young woman lying on couch feeling strong headache

Homeless figures don't count all those without housing

Our definition of homelessness leaves out many single adults who are sleeping in cars, couch-surfing or leaving prison or hospital without a home, writes Dermot Kavanagh of Cork Simon

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Man lying on sofa with feet up on armrest

Cork homelessness figures do not capture scale of problem, new research shows

Cork Simon spokesperson said: 'The man living in a broken-down car may never be encountered during a street count. The woman moving between the sofas of friends and family does not appear in any official figure'

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Serious sad man in dark. Depressed anxious person suffer from trauma, solitude or drug addiction. Homeless outcast with shame af

Mould, overcrowding, and prohibited items found at direct provision centres

The floor of one apartment at an accommodation centre in Cork was found to be in 'such a state of disrepair' that it prevented the door from opening, causing a serious fire-safety issue.

Mon, 27 Apr, 2026

Housing stock

From tenements to today: How 1926 housing data reflects modern Ireland’s property challenges

New analysis of first Free State census shows enduring housing pressures around supply, affordability, overcrowding, and regional inequality

Sat, 25 Apr, 2026

Happy family on train station

Homeless figures hit record high with more than 17,500 people in emergency accommodation

Homeless numbers reach record 17,517, including over 5,500 children, as charities call for urgent Government action

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Pressure on Micheál Martin as three of Fianna Fáil’s youngest TDs issue warning shot

Pressure on Micheál Martin as three of Fianna Fáil’s youngest TDs issue warning shot

It is terrible to consider so many people dying without a home to call their own

Tue, 14 Apr, 2026

the notice of eviction of tenants hangs on the door of the house

Labour introduces bill seeking to reinstate ban on no-fault evictions

'Homelessness is continuing to rise and now renters are facing an even greater minefield when it comes to their real rights under the new rental legislation'

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026