New record as number of homeless people in Ireland jumps again 

File picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

There were 15,418 people recorded as homeless in Ireland at the end of March, marking a new record high in Ireland.

The latest Department of Housing figures showed there were 10,743 adults and 4,675 children in emergency accommodation, including 2,212 families. Over half of these were single-parent families.

In February, there were 15,378 people in emergency accommodation.

The true number of people who are homeless is thought to be much higher, as the monthly figures do not include people sleeping on the streets, couch-surfing or those who access accommodation in domestic violence refuges or Direct Provision.

The monthly Department of Housing tally has been growing steadily for years as governments have struggled to address the housing crisis which emerged after the recession.

House prices and rents have skyrocketed, particularly after the covid-19 pandemic, as supply remains constrained and demand has increased.

The government has increased its new-build housing targets for the coming years in response, but missed last year’s overall target and its social homes target for several years running.

The Central Bank of Ireland has also warned that Ireland is on track to miss its housing targets for the next three years.

Homelessness charity the Simon Communities of Ireland said that since March last year, an extra 1,552 people are in emergency accommodation.

Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said: “This time four years ago, it was reported that 8,060 men, women and children were experiencing homelessness.

“That number has nearly doubled since then. It’s hard to fathom how we can reverse these figures in the next five years without urgent action.

“If we’re serious about ending homelessness by 2030, we need to start treating it like the crisis it is. Housing and homelessness must become a top priority for Government.

“Our latest Locked Out Of The Market report highlights the severe shortage of options in the private rental sector.

“We need to act now to protect people from falling into homelessness. Prevention is not only the most economically sensible approach, it’s also the morally right thing to do.” 

Labour TD Conor Sheehan said each week “brings a new low” in this Government’s handling of the housing crisis.

“There is no way to sugarcoat this. It’s a national scandal, and it is a direct result of Government failure to treat housing as the emergency it clearly is,” he said.

“Despite the rhetoric, there is no urgency, no strategic leadership, and no willingness to admit the scale of the crisis.” 

Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne said the latest figures were “a shameful milestone for a government that never prioritised homelessness”.

Mr Hearne, the party’s housing spokesperson, said the proposed removal of rent caps and cuts to the tenant-in-situ scheme will add to already rising levels of homelessness.

“Overall, there are 256 more children in emergency accommodation than there were six months ago. These trends will continue unless there is a radical shift in government policy,” he said.

“Rising levels of homelessness will continue to outpace any social and affordable housing delivery from the State unless there is a radical shift in government policy, which must have a far greater focus on the tenant-in-situ scheme.”