Massive spike in homeless numbers in Laois

There was a dramatic increase in the number of people recorded as homeless in Laois last month, with 51 individuals requiring emergency accommodation. 

This is a 45% jump on January's figures when 35 people were availing of emergency support from Laois County Council.  The latest figures from the Department of Housing represent the number of people homeless in the county during the week of February 17 to 23. 

Across the midlands there were 47 families in local authority emergency accommodation. This included 60 adults and 82 children. 

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There were 219 adults availing of emergency accommodation across the midlands during the week recorded in February. The majority were aged between 25 to 44 (113). There were 69 people aged between 45 and 64 and there were seven people aged over 65 homeless in the region. 

Nationally a record of 15,378 people were living in homeless accommodation in Ireland last month. 

The figures do not include people sleeping rough, those that may be couch surfing or homeless in hospitals or prisons, or those who are in a shelter for asylum seekers, or domestic violence centres.