The number of people homeless has surpassed 16,000 for the first time including more than 5,000 children – another landmark high – latest figures show.
The monthly homeless report from the Department of Housing, published on Friday, shows there were 16,058 people in emergency accommodation during the week of July 21st to 27th. These included 5,014 children in 2,343 families.
In Dublin where the crisis is at its most acute, there were 11,567 people destitute including 3,719 children. These numbers do not include people in domestic violence refuges, sofa surfing, stuck in international protection accommodation despite having refugees status, in overcrowded housing or sleeping rough.
Focus Ireland chief executive at Dennigan said the number of homeless children equated to 220 primary school classes of children with no home.
RM Block
“Many went back to school from the stress of living in emergency homeless accommodation. We believe that no child should be without a home. Homelessness hurts everyone and it hurts children the most. We need to end child homelessness. For good.’’
He said the Government’s new Housing Plan, expected to be published in late September, “must deliver a radical shift to housing and homeless policy”.
He said: “We recently met with Minister for Housing James Browne and officials in his department, and we stressed that the new Strategy must be a Housing and Homelessness Plan as the two issues are intrinsically linked.
“Focus Ireland has recommended some urgent actions to prevent more people becoming homeless, including a review of HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) to align payments with current market rents. Focus Ireland also emphasised the urgent need to restore funding to the Tenant-In-Situ scheme.”
Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said: “There are over 5,000 children whose lives are being impacted by trauma. Who cares? The Simon Communities of Ireland cares and we are calling on Government, policy makers, landlords, - all of the key stakeholders to show they care too.
“Ireland is a wealthy country with thousands of vacant homes. Ireland’s largest private landlord, Irish Residential Properties REIT (I-RES), reported profits of €16.3 million in the first half of 2025.
“This rise in corporate landlord profits highlights the stark imbalance between housing as a source of profit and the worsening human cost of homelessness. We cannot continue with business as usual while homelessness keeps rising. The time for action is now.”
More to follow ...
