Number of people living in emergency housing in Cork up by 20% in a year

The number of people living in emergency accommodation in Cork is up by 20% in 12 months, figures described by a leading homelessness charity as “record-breaking”.

According to the Government’s latest homelessness figures, as of the last week of July, there are 663 adults living in emergency accommodation in Cork — up from 553 at the end of July last year, representing a 20% increase.

There are 221 homeless families in the South West region, which covers Cork and Kerry.

That represents a 21% increase on the same time last year, when 183 families were homeless in the region.

Across Cork and Kerry, 103 children are living with their families in emergency accommodation, a 2% increase on last July, when the figure was 101.

The figures, which are provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, do not give a separate breakdown for how many families are in emergency accommodation in Cork alone, or the number of children in such accommodation.

Increase

There were 937 men, women, and children homeless in Cork and Kerry at the end of July, marking a 22% increase on 767 last July.

The July figures mark the seventh consecutive month of increases in homelessness figures in the region.

They come against a national landmark high of homelessness.

A total of 16,058 people nationwide are now living in emergency accommodation.

This includes 5,014 children and 2,343 families who are homeless, the first time the number of homeless children has passed the 5,000 mark.

Deeply Frustrating

Paul Sheehan, head of campaigns and communications at Cork Simon, said the figures were “record-breaking” and “deeply frustrating”.

“It’s just never-ending, and these figures are for July, we’re not even into the winter months."

“It’s July and we’re seeing record numbers stuck in emergency accommodation.

“It’s very frustrating, and particularly when you see the average rent for Cork, as published by Daft.ie earlier this week, is over €2,000 a month," said Mr Sheehan. 

“If someone is on the average income, around €45,000 mark, two-thirds is going on housing if they’re depending on the rental market, and that’s unsustainable.”