‘Demand tsunami’ faced by homeless charities

CHARITIES who deal with homelessness are reporting a surge in demand for their services and have warned of a “demand tsunami” this winter.

The expected increase in demand has prompted calls for action to address why the number of people with nowhere to live is growing despite thousands of unsold houses and apartments lying vacant across the country.

Dublin Simon, the largest of the eight Simon communities, revealed in its latest report how it has recorded a 26% increase in the number of people sleeping rough during the early summer months compared with the same period last year.