Number of homeless adults in Cork and Kerry more than doubles in seven years

One of the reasons for the high number of adults who are homeless nationwide is that demand for housing is completely outweighing supply

(Left to right) Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy; Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Gillian Coughlan, and Focus Ireland Practise Development Manager, Gerard Spillane, at the launch of the Focus on Homelessness report. Photo: Alison Miles

The number of adults in emergency accommodation in Cork has more than doubled over seven years as rent prices continue to remain comparable to larger cities.

A new report, Focus On Homelessness has found that the number of homeless people in Cork increased from around 200 adults in 2014 to 412 in June 2021.

As of June 2021, there were 492 adults in emergency accommodation in the South West region, which is comprised of Cork and Kerry. This number has risen by 144% when compared to June 2014 when the figures were first published.

In October 2019, this figure reached an all-time high with 608 adults in emergency accommodation in the South West region. According to the report, Cork accounts for 70% of adults in emergency accommodation in the region.

It revealed that the total number of households homeless in the South West rose steadily from 2014 to 2019 and has since remained around 480.

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The highest number of households was also reached in October 2019 with 560. This figure has since fallen by 14% and as of June of this year, there were 484 households in emergency accommodation in the region. 

Single adults without accompanying children make up the majority of homeless households in the South West. Of the 484 households in emergency accommodation in June 2021, 90% were adult individuals without accompanying children and 10% were households with children.

Of the households with accompanying children, the majority are single-parent families.

Speaking on the findings, Ireland Practise Development Manager Gerard Spillane, said: "The housing crisis in Cork has continued especially in the last four years as rents are now comparable with prices in larger cities.

One of the reasons for the high number of adults who are homeless nationwide is that demand is completely outweighing supply.

The lack of one-bed bedroom apartments is also a serious contributor to the number of adults who are homeless in Cork and particularly single people, he said.

“An offset of the crisis in the city is that many individuals and families are now being forced out of Cork city to the many surrounding towns and villages."

Since the beginning of 2020, however, there has been a drop in family homelessness across the country. According to the report, as of June 2021, there were 46 families in emergency accommodation in the South West region.

The full report on homelessness in the South West can be accessed at https://t.co/2ouB5Q32CW

— Focus Ireland (@FocusIreland) November 15, 2021

As of the same month, there were 94 children in emergency accommodation which is the lowest level since December 2016. The highest number was reached in May 2019, with 318 children in emergency accommodation in the South West.

The report is a collaboration between Focus Ireland and the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin. 

Since 2014, the Department of Housing has published data on the number of adults and child dependents in emergency accommodation each month. 

According to the Department's monthly homeless report from September 2021, the total number of homeless individuals nationally is 8,475, an increase of 263 (3.2%) on the total for August 2021.