Record level of children and adults in emergency accommodation

A record number of 13,841 people were accessing emergency homeless accommodation by the end of February, according to the latest figures.

This includes 4,170 children – also the highest number ever recorded.

The children come from 1,994 families.

In the wake of the figures, homelessness charities urged the Government to make social housing a priority, while Sinn Fein called for an urgent general election.

The Department of Housing data shows that 9,671 adults were accessing emergency accommodation managed by local authorities during the last full week of February.

Two-thirds of those were classified as single adults.

Almost 6,000 men and more than 3,700 women were accessing emergency accommodation during that period.

The majority (72%) of the adult service users were in Dublin.

The latest figures also show an increase of 2,099 people (18%) in emergency accommodation in the 12 months since February 2023, including a 24% increase in children.

Sinn Fein’s housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said other figures released on Thursday show that the Government missed its targets for new-build social housing in 2023.

He said: “Homelessness is rising because the Government’s social and affordable housing targets are too low and are being missed every single year.

“This Government is not capable of solving this crisis. The longer they are in Government the worse the housing crisis is going to get.”

He added: “We urgently need a general election, a change of Government and crucially a change of housing plan to deliver the volume of social and affordable homes that are needed to tackle this escalating crisis.”

Focus Ireland described the figures as “distressing” and called on the Government to make tackling homelessness a “political priority”.

The charity said there was an urgent need for more decisive action to reverse the trend of rising monthly homelessness figures since the end of the pandemic.

Focus Ireland chief executive Pat Dennigan said: “There are solutions in the short, medium, and long term to this crisis.

“We have repeatedly called for a fairer allocation of social homes for homeless households.

He added: “With just less than 2,000 families in emergency accommodation, the number of new homes required to end this crisis for families in long-term homelessness is not impossible to deliver, and this should be a real priority.”

Focus Ireland said it is writing to incoming taoiseach Simon Harris next week to ask him to set clear goals to help end the “human crisis of homelessness”.

“These goals are as follows: prioritising homelessness as a key agenda item, setting more realistic targets for home building, and ensuring a fairer share of social housing supply is allocated to homeless households,” the organisation added.

Wayne Stanley, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said: ”The answer to this crisis lies in the construction of more social and affordable housing and more supports to those at risk of homelessness.

“While a commitment to greater ambition and a recognition of the scale of the crisis is welcome, the Government and the Taoiseach will be judged on results.

“A supportive Government that is committed to shielding individuals and families from homelessness will drive the delivery of more social and affordable homes.

“We need to see concrete actions to increase the allocation of social homes to those experiencing homelessness, particularly those in long-term homelessness.

“The Government should deliver on its promise to pass the Simon Homeless Prevention Bill, and enshrine a right to housing in the constitution.”

A spokesperson for Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “The continued rise in the numbers is disappointing and I remain fully focused on dealing with this challenge.

“Over the last few years, we have made significant progress in helping more people from going into temporary accommodation, and supporting more to exit homelessness.

“Nevertheless, the numbers presenting remain challenging.

“The ultimate solution is to develop enough permanent homes for those who need them – and there is great hope here. Today, we also published our latest statistics on social and affordable housing.

“In 2023, we provided 12,000 social homes – up 16% on last year. We provided, at the same time, 4,000 affordable homes – double the year before. In the wider housing sector, commencements and completions are at levels not seen for many years.

“Yes, homelessness remains a big challenge but we are moving in the right direction and at pace.”