Merchants Quay recorded a 55% surge in 'new homeless' last year due to rising rents and evictions

Merchants Quay Ireland CEO Paula Byrne said that in 2021, the number of newly homeless people rose by 29%. File picture: Julien Behal  

The number of newly homeless people seeking help from Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) jumped by 55% in the final three months of 2021 — attributed to the lifting of eviction bans, rising rents, and Covid-related job losses.

MQI dealt with more than 11,600 people during 2021 through its homeless and drug services — up 18% on the previous year. In its annual review for 2021, Merchants Quay Ireland chief executive Paula Byrne said 4,095 of its clients registered as homeless.

“Specifically, in Q4 of 2021, the number of clients presenting as newly homeless increased by 55% compared to the previous year,” she said.

This increase is due to lifting of eviction bans, the reality of Covid-19 job losses, and increasing rent prices in 2021. 

She said newly homeless numbers rose by 29% over the entire year, adding: “Soaring prices, limited rental opportunities and insufficient social housing are making it increasingly difficult for people to move out of homelessness. While the priority must be to reduce the number of people who are homeless, we cannot ignore the brutal reality that more people are becoming homeless for longer.”

She welcomed the Government’s decision this week to introduce a new ban on evictions, from November 1 to the end of March next year. She said: 

Anything that prevents people entering homelessness, particularly with the winter approaching — and just look at the weather outside — I’d imagine it might alleviate some of the worry people have.

However, she said there needs to be a “strong cross-party approach” to homelessness and housing, like the Covid-19 response.

She said MQI’s assertive outreach team supported 447 people on the streets of Dublin last year, with 3,249 interventions (up 10%).

“The outreach staff walk the streets and parks of Dublin city centre every morning, checking on homeless clients who have been sleeping rough,” Ms Byrne said.

She said the homeless day service provided food, medical care, and housing support to almost 1,300 people, with more than 33,000 meals provided.

The report said 2,100 people accessed MQI’s GP, mental health team, general nursing team, dentist, and counselling services during 2021 — up 14% on 2020.

Ms Byrne said a majority of people referred to the mental health team presented with a dual diagnoses of both mental health issues and substance abuse issues.

There was an 11% increase in interventions and a 5% rise in clients accessing their mental health services.

The charity provided 49,448 interventions to their needle exchange services and other harm reduction services, up 27% on 2020. Ms Byrne said: 

The sheer number of people seeking our services is a clear indication of the urgent need for further investment in treatment options such as stabilisation, detox, and rehab throughout the country.

MQI’s Midlands service assisted 702 people, while 209 people were supported by their east coast service and 308 people in the Cavan and Monaghan service.