'Worrying' rise in homeless deaths as 39 people die in Dublin services this year

Eight homeless people died in Dublin in August, according to new figures from the Dublin Regional Homelessness Executive (DRHE). 

The number of homeless deaths in Dublin rose by eight in August alone, bringing the 2020 figure to 39, already exceeding the total number of homeless people who died in the city last year.

The figures, obtained by Áontú leader Peadar Tóibín from the Dublin Regional Homelessness Executive (DRHE), show that 10 people died in the capital's services in July, with an additional eight last month, a rise Mr Tóibín called "worrying".

Among those who died are a number of younger people, which Dublin City councillor and homeless advocate Anthony Flynn said was "an entirely new demographic", which has increased in prevalence in the system in recent years. 

Mr Tóibín said that details of the deaths of younger people are particularly harrowing.

“The documents sent to me by the DRHE give details on these deaths, they make for difficult reading with the phrase “young man” and “young woman” appearing with a heart-breaking frequency," he said.

"One of the deaths in July was of a man aged in his 20s who was ‘found dead while sleeping rough’. Another was a girl of 19 years, who died in an emergency accommodation facility, and another ‘young woman in her 20s... appears to have taken her own life while residing in an emergency accommodation facility’. The list goes on with many other tragic stories.”

Mr Tóibín paid tribute to the DRHE and the NGOs that work to combat homelessness in Ireland, but said that the issue must be tackled by Government.

"It's well time we got our priorities straight in this country. The situation with regards to the spike in homeless deaths must be declared an emergency, we can no longer leave this battle in the hands of activists, volunteers, and charities, it's time the government stepped up to the plate."

Systemic failure

Mr Flynn said that the rise in deaths represented a "continued systemic failure". He added that the current system does not address the entirety of problems faced by homeless people.

"We're treating people like cattle when they come in. A bed and a sleeping bag is the minimum you'd expect, but we have to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to how people are supported.

"People are coming out of services with substance issues when they didn't go in with them. 

"The outsourcing of homeless services to the emergency accommodation industry isn't working. We haven't got the level of service provision that we do in other places.

"The adequate level of services just isn't there."