Homelessness increases by almost a third in a year, figures show

The rate of homelessness in Ireland has risen by more than 30% in the past year, figures show.

There were 10,492 adults and children in homeless emergency accommodation at the end of June, according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing.

There were 2,478 more people recorded as homeless in June compared to the same period last year when 8,014 people were homeless.

This represents an almost 31 per cent increase.

The total figure of 10,492 is just shy of the highest homeless figure (10,514) recorded by the Department in October 2019.

In total, there were 7,421 homeless adults and 3,071 homeless children recorded in the country last month.

In comparison, in June last year, there were 5,847 adults and 2,167 children experiencing homelessness.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “The continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern.

“The Government, local authorities and those in our NGO sectors are making every effort to reduce homelessness. Key to this is the delivery of new social housing and boosting overall supply.”

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan described the figures as a “shocking indictment of the Government’s failed housing policy”.

The party’s housing spokesman said: “Homelessness is near an all-time high. This is a disaster for everyone living in emergency accommodation who does not have a place they can call home.

“Homelessness has increased by over 31% in the past year – while child homelessness is up by 41% during the same period. These figures are a shocking indictment of the Government’s failed housing policy.

“These figures do not include people sleeping rough on our streets, in tents and on couches.

“There is a complete lack of urgency by the Government in their approach to housing.”

Homeless organisation, the Simon Communities, called on the Government to take action to move homelessness “beyond crisis”.

The charity has urged the Government to bring 5,000 vacant properties back into use through the Repair and Lease Scheme, for people in homelessness and on the social housing waiting list.

It also wants increasing funding towards homeless prevention and reforming HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) rates.

Simon Communities head of policy and communication Wayne Stanley said: “We’re calling on Government to take the necessary steps to move beyond the crisis.

“Our first priority is to see Government grasp the opportunity that our high vacancy rate affords us, to give relief to some of those men, women and children struggling in homelessness or the thousands more in hidden homelessness.

“These actions will also build greater capacity in local authorities and create some breathing space in the social housing system while the direct build homes committed to in the Government’s strategy Housing for All, come online.”

Dublin Simon Community spokeswoman Caoimhe O’Connell said: “It is beyond frustrating to see the number of people residing in emergency accommodation in Dublin climb upwards for yet another month.

“We have now broken a record we never wanted to reach, with the increase recorded in the June 2022 Homeless Report coming at a time when homeless services are beyond capacity, while housing applications are suffering extreme delays.

Ms O’Connell also said it is currently taking on average five months for housing applications to be processed.

“That’s five months of waiting just to get on the waiting list, which can then take several years to yield a house, depending on your situation,” she said.

“The recommended stay in emergency accommodation is six months.”

She added: “We are getting to the point where homelessness is becoming tantamount to a life sentence.

“Urgent intervention is required to mitigate the long-term impact on the lives of those currently in the system and those who are barely clinging on to their homes as the cost of living and housing crises continue to squeeze them out.”

Homeless charity Focus Ireland said the homeless figures edging towards a “historic high” must ignite urgent Government action as the nation faces a social emergency.

The organisation said most emergency homeless accommodation is now full, resulting in “hidden homelessness” where people have to stay in “precarious and unsuitable” accommodation and it is not reflected in the figures published on Friday.

Focus Ireland director of advocacy Mike Allen said: “As homelessness rises month on month, it must be clear to everyone that just keeping on doing what we are already doing will not be enough.

“Local authorities across the country are being driven into desperate attempts to open new homeless shelters when we know that emergency accommodation is not the answer, housing is the answer.”