As many as 19 people died in homeless accommodation in Cork city last year

Between 17 and 19 people died in homeless accommodation in Cork city last year, The Echo has learned.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage was told on Tuesday by Cork City Council that eight people died in emergency accommodation in the city in 2023, while Cork Simon said 17 people availing of its emergency and supported housing services had died last year.

The homelessness charity told The Echo on Wednesday that it was “most likely” that there was a crossover between the two figures, with some of the eight people listed by the council “almost certainly” also included in Cork Simon’s figures.

For reasons of client confidentiality, Cork Simon was unable to provide an exact figure for the number of people who died in homeless accommodation in Cork last year, but a spokesperson said the figure was “more than likely 19”, but it was possible it was 17 or 18.

In figures supplied to the Oireachtas committee, Cork City Council said that in 2022, six people died in emergency accommodation provided by the council, and Cork Simon said 10 people availing of its services had died in 2022.

Caveat

Cork Simon said client confidentiality meant that the same caveat applied to those figures as to the 2023 figures, stating that a crossover was probable.

In its statement to The Echo, Cork Simon said some of those who died in its care last year had been in emergency accommodation, but more had been in supported housing, and all had experienced homelessness in their lives.

“There’s no doubt that drugs, alcohol, or chronic ill-health had a significant role in their passing, all of which are related to trying to cope with a lifetime of trauma. It's a reflection of the complexity of need among many people who are pushed into homelessness,” said the Cork Simon spokesperson.

“We’re not surprised that the average age of death for those living in their own homes with ongoing support was 12 years older than for those stuck in emergency accommodation.

“Having a safe and secure place to call home makes a huge difference in every aspect of people’s lives, not least to quality of life, no matter how complex their needs.”

Shocking

Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, described the deaths in homeless accommodation as “a shocking indictment” of the Government’s housing policies.

“In my four years as a TD, I have never sat through a more harrowing Oireachtas housing committee. We heard that children are being traumatised, older people forgotten about, and those in recovery completely failed. Services are doing their best , but they are stretched too thin," said the northside TD.

Mr Gould said a Munster Regional Homeless Executive was “urgently” needed.

“I am very mindful that there are grieving families in Cork today and a further 55 families in emergency accommodation,” he said. “This must stop. We need a change in housing, and we must see homelessness reduced.”

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said that “out of respect to families, friends, colleagues and fellow service providers”, it would not be appropriate for it to comment.