Numbers in Cork emergency accommodation rise by 21% in a year

There are now 660 people in emergency accommodation in Cork, as a homeless charity says the number has increased 21% in a year, with a 70% decrease in homelessness preventions.

There were 101 families, with 209 children, in emergency accommodation in the South West, made up of Cork and Kerry, in June, latest Government data has shown.

A total of 95 adults have been prevented from entering homelessness in the South West so far this year, compared to 317 this time last year —a 70% decrease.

A total of 161 adults in Cork and Kerry have been homeless for a year or more, compared to 136 this time last year, including 55 for more than two years, while for families, 55 have been in emergency accommodation less than six months, 20 for six to 12 months, 15 for 12 to 18 months, four for 18 to 24 months, and six for more than two years.

Costly

In June, there were 190 adults in supported temporary accommodation (STA), primarily homeless shelters, while 529 adults are in private emergency accommodation (PEA), which is hotels, B&Bs, and other residential facilities.

It comes as Cork City Council revealed earlier this year that PEA “is considerably more costly” than STA.

Paul Sheehan from Cork Simon told The Echo that their shelters have been at capacity for a long time, and the money spent on housing homeless people could be used for homeless preventions, which have significantly decreased.

“The figures mark a 21% increase in Cork in the number of adults in emergency accommodation in a year — we started in 2025 with more than 600 people for the first time and it has just continued to increase. We’re not that far off the 700 mark now,” he said.

“It’s not surprising when you think of data released which shows preventions fell significantly, and the fact that we saw a fairly significant amount of no-fault evictions from the private rental sector leading to presentations at emergency accommodation, and an increase in long-term homelessness. 

"We’re full every night, and the figures will tell you that the number of people in STA is fairly static, that’s the capacity; it’s PEA that is increasing.”

Mr Sheehan added that they were hoping that the Government’s review of the Housing For All policy would be published before the Dáil recess earlier this month.

“We’ll probably have to wait until September now; all of this points to a lack of urgency in addressing this issue,” he said.

Radical reset

Cork Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice called for a radical reset of housing policy. “Yet again, another grim milestone for homelessness has been reached,” he said.

“Today’s figures are the direct result of policy choices made by the Government. The number today doesn’t even capture the true scale of homelessness — there are thousands of people across Cork living in hidden homelessness.”

He said the National Development Plan announced last week “gives no indication that the Government is planning to move away from the measures that have plagued housing provision in the last decade”.

Worrying

Cork Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould told The Echo: “Children across this State are preparing for school in September. For a record number of children in Cork, they’re stuck instead, worrying not just about where they’ll go to school but also where they’ll live in September.

“A man contacted me for help this week. He is in emergency accommodation with his child. He told me he was ashamed and embarrassed. That shame is not his. That shame lies solely at the feet of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

“I am disgusted that that man, his children, and record numbers of people are reduced to numbers in a monthly report.”