More than 700 people in Cork spent Christmas in emergency shelters 

More than 700 people spent Christmas in emergency accommodation in Cork, an increase of 125 from a year previously.

The latest Government homeless figures show there were 716 adults in emergency accommodation in December.

The figure is the second-highest total ever, dropping slightly from the previous month. It is one of only three times that the figure has been above 700 in Cork.

In Cork city alone, figures revealed at the end of last year showed that 93 families were forced to spend their Christmas in emergency accommodation.

Of the families, 67 spent their first Christmas in emergency accommodation, 21 their second, three their third, and two their fourth or more without a home.

Additionally, 307 single adults spent Christmas in emergency accommodation for the first time.

A futher 131 faced the second Christmas in emergency accommodation. Some 25 have now spent four Christmases in such circumstances.

Devastating

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said it was devastating that so many families spent Christmas without a home, and that the figures will likely increase next month.

“We know that many people facing eviction in December overstay or move in with family temporarily to avoid Christmas in emergency accommodation. These people will likely enter emergency accommodation in January, but have spent their Christmas worried and scared."

These figures are the "tip of the iceberg" in Cork, he claimed.

"The number of hidden homeless is larger and growing every single month. The Government should start listening to these people, listening to the experts and bringing in real emergency measures to prevent homelessness for families.”

Figures released by the Department of Housing show 11,546 adults and 5,188 children were homeless across the country in December, a total of 16,734 people.

The figure is a slight decrease from the previous month, when 16,996 were listed as being homeless. That total was made up of 11,675 adults and 5,321 children, both of which are record levels.

Some 9,789 households are currently in emergency accommodation, with men making up nearly 7,000 of the 11,500 adults currently homeless.