Homeless figures surpass 18,000 for first time

Homelessness figures are normally published a month in arrears at the end of each month. File picture

The number of homeless people in Ireland has surpassed 18,000 for the first time — another record high.

The latest Department of Housing figures show 18,065 people were living in emergency accommodation at the end of September, an increase of 180 on August.

The total included 12,168 adults and 5,897 children, while 2,821 families were in emergency accommodation.

The number of people experiencing homelessness first exceeded 17,000 at the beginning of this year.

Homelessness figures are normally published a month in arrears at the end of each month. 

However, the Department of Housing did not release its latest data as scheduled on Friday, October 30, due to the public sector pay dispute.

The figures were instead published shortly after 7pm on Friday.

They mark a slight increase on August, when a total of 17,885 people — 12,055 adults and 5,830 children — were in emergency accommodation.

The September total represents a 9% year-on-year increase, up from 16,614 people in emergency accommodation in September 2025.

Child homelessness rose more sharply, increasing by 12.5% from 5,238 children in September 2025 to 5,897 this year.

According to Cork Simon, there were 851 adults in homelessness in Cork at the end of September, showing no change on August.

However, there was a year-on-year increase of 26% on September 2025, when there were 675 adults in emergency accommodation.

There were 1,200 people in emergency accommodation across Cork and Kerry at the end of September, down marginally from 1,208 in August but up 25% from 958 in September 2025.

The total included 927 adults, down slightly from 932 in August but up from 743 a year earlier.

The south-west recorded the second-highest number of people in emergency accommodation nationally, behind Dublin.

Paul Sheehan of Cork Simon said it was welcome that the number of homeless people in Cork had not risen in September.

“But 851 adults are now depending on emergency accommodation, 176 more than this time last year, an increase of 26%, and many have been waiting a long time for a home,” he said.

“That is the clearer picture of homelessness in the city. As temperatures fall towards zero, everyone sleeping rough in Cork deserves a warm, safe place to stay, tonight and for the months ahead.” 

The Department of Housing said 2,904 people had been prevented from entering emergency accommodation in the second quarter of this year.

Half of all adults in emergency accommodation are Irish citizens, while 19% are non-EU citizens and 31% are citizens of other EU countries.