Increase in homeless figures to record high of 12,441 is ‘alarming’

Another increase in homeless figures to a new record high has been called “terrible” and “alarming” by housing charities.

Department of Housing figures for May show 8,742 adults and 3,699 children were in emergency accommodation in Ireland in May, representing 12,441 people in total.

There were 6,358 people homeless in Dublin, 517 in Cork city and county, and 263 in Galway city and county.

The figures do not include people in domestic refuges, direct provision centres or people who were “couch surfing”.

This represents an increase on the 12,259 people who accessed emergency homeless accommodation during the last week of April, and a 20% increase on the figures from May last year.

Minister for housing Darragh O’Brien said it was “very disappointing” that the numbers had increased again.

He said the Government was continuing to work “tirelessly to try and bring these numbers down and we will do all in our power to do so”.

Focus Ireland director of advocacy Mike Allen said they had anticipated a surge in homelessness when the eviction ban was lifted at the end of March, and said the May figures “regrettably confirm our concerns”.

“It is terrible to see a 30% rise in family homelessness since this time last year. It feels as if the shocking monthly increases in homelessness have stunned the country and left us unable to take action.

“But this is not inevitable and perhaps we should start by looking at what we can do for the children who are homeless with their families.”

Wayne Stanley, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said that the increase of a further 182 people in homelessness was another “unwelcome record set”.

“The tenant-in-situ scheme does appear to be having a preventative impact. However, the number of people in homelessness continues to grow at an alarming rate despite this unprecedented intervention,” he said.

“This is further evidence, if it were needed, that a secure, sustained, supply of affordable homes will be the cornerstone to addressing the homelessness crisis.”

Two opposition parties have called on the minister to reintroduce the no-fault eviction ban, as well as address other issues in the housing and rental sector.

Sinn Fein’s Eoin O Broin said that rising homelessness was the “direct result” of government’s failure to put in place an emergency response, which would include using modular and vacant homes, and expanding on the tenant-in-situ scheme.

He said the eviction ban should be reinstated until homeless figures begin to fall.

The Social Democrats’ Cian O’Callaghan said that Ireland’s “dysfunctional” rental market was to blame, and said the eviction ban needed to be reintroduced.

Labour called on the government to support its Homeless Families Bill to ensure that children are prioritised and protected from becoming homeless, something the Children’s Ombudsman also called for earlier this year.

Mr O’Brien said that increasing Ireland’s housing supply is key to addressing homelessness, as well as other problems in the housing market.

“Supply continues to increase and this is welcome. Just last week we saw another strong report on the number of homes commenced in May of this year,” he said.

“That all helps in terms of supply.

“As for right now, I have introduced a number of recent initiatives including the tenant-in-situ scheme, which is helping to prevent people from entering emergency accommodation in the first instance.

“This year we are confident that we can again increase the delivery of social and affordable homes.”