More than 600 families in homeless accommodation for over a year
Growing homelessness has seen more families entering emergency accommodation than were leaving it at the start of this year.
More than 600 families have been in homeless accommodation for more than a year, with 237 of these in such living situations for over two years.
Figures released by the Department of Housing show the vast majority of these are based in Dublin, which has had 206 families living in emergency accommodation for 24 months or more.
Similarly, 1,854 of the 5,663 single people living in emergency accommodation have been doing so for more than one year.
The data is included in the department's Quarterly Progress Report, coming as it also announced a new record of 11,988 people homeless in March. This was a 2.1% increase on the previous month.
Furthermore, the no-fault eviction ban was lifted at the beginning of April and there are fears the number of people homeless in Ireland could increase further in the coming months.
Figures in the new report for the first quarter of 2023 show that there were 669 families presenting as homeless.
Of these, 306 were prevented from entering emergency accommodation through supports on offer, meaning there were 363 new families entering emergency accommodation in the first three months of 2023.
While 215 families left emergency accommodation, it still meant that more families were entering emergency accommodation than were leaving it at the start of this year.
Separately, a further 60 new Housing First tenancies commenced in quarter one of 2023. This scheme provides housing and wrap-around supports to rough sleepers and long-term users of emergency accommodation with complex health needs.
In response to the latest homelessness figures, the opposition rounded on the Government and on its decision to lift the eviction ban in particular.
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said: “The Government has not put in place the necessary emergency measures to deal with the expected rise in homelessness from April. It cannot tell those with eviction notices falling due where they should go."
Social Democrat housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan said the no-fault eviction ban is now “more urgently needed than ever before”.
The Simon Communities of Ireland said that the Government must prioritise effective actions to begin turning the tide on homelessness.
“Government action on homelessness has to be judged on results and these figures are evidence that not enough is being done,” its executive director Wayne Stanley said.
