'Very small increase' in homeless figures nationwide - Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien

Ahead of the publication of official figures, Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien said there will be a "very small increase nationwide" in homeless figures being announced tomorrow.

Minister O'Brien told reporters at a social housing launch event in Portlaoise that there remains "a significant challenge" in tackling homelessness, and that the Department of Housing will publish monthly emergency accommodation figures tomorrow.

"We will see a very, very small increase nationwide, which is to be welcomed in the sense that the larger increase that we've seen will not be seen this month," O'Brien said.

The number of people accessing State-funded emergency accommodation as of February 2024 is 13,841, according to figures published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This figure does not include people sleeping rough and those in Direct provision centres.

Acknowledging the construction of 143 new social homes in Portlaoise, co. Laois, Minister O'Brien said that "one of the things we've got to refocus on, or at least do it very well is looking at our our emergency accommodation list and speeding up the allocations department is Social Housing.

"Laois are doing that, in the county we've seen a continued reduction in the social housing waiting lists, we're seeing a reduction in those in emergency accommodation. But it remains a challenge and the number one priority.

"The real way that we're going to make real inroads into it is by providing a greater supply of really quality homes, such as the ones that we're seeing here today."