Nine Laois families and 18 single people homeless

There are 27 “households” in Laois living in emergency accommodation, awaiting long term homes from Laois County Council.

Of those 27, nine are families and 18 are single.

The figures were given at the November meeting of Laois County Council, dated for October 31 2023.

During October, seven families and 23 single people came to county hall to declare themselves as homeless and ask for emergency help.

The council is also buying or has bought, nine houses from landlords selling up, where the tenant will on with the council as its new landlord. Those purchases are using money from the Government's Tenant in Situ scheme where tenants got notices to quit and then informed the council.

In all in 2023, Laois County Council bought 14 houses on sale, is buying five more, and considering another 18, as part of continued work to resolve the housing shortage.