Charity: Surge in youth homelessness

Long-term homelessness among young people in Cork has increased four-fold since 2008 and among women it has increased three-fold, according to the latest annual report from the Cork Simon.

The homeless charity supported 621 people in 2011. Of those, 19% were women and 19% were under 26 years of age.

Cork Simon said that long-term homelessness had been increasing steadily since 2008. At that point there were 42 people. In 2011 there were 76.