Number of homeless in Cork city tops 800 for first time

In Cork city, the number of homeless people has topped 800 for the first time.

There were 821 people were in emergency accommodation in Cork during the final week of April, up 4% on the previous month, according to figures published by the Department of Housing.

This marked a year-on-year increase of 26% since April 2025, and a 10% since January of this year.

In the south west region, which covers Cork and Kerry, the number of men, women and children in emergency accommodation during the last week of April was 1,162.

This marks a 4% increase in the south west since last month.

Year-on-year, this is up 31% since April 2025, and up 10% since January of this year.

A new record high

Nationally, the number of people living in emergency accommodation reached a new record high last month.

A total of 17,548 people were living in emergency accommodation in the last week of April.

The total included 11,944 adults and 5,604 children across 2,707 families.

The figure represents an increase of 31 people compared with the previous month and marks the highest number ever recorded in emergency accommodation.

Nationally, the figures mark a 13% year-on-year increase, with homeless numbers for the same period in 2025 were at 15,580 people.

Child homelessness is up 17% across the country since April 2025.

The monthly figures published by the Department of Housing do not account for people sleeping rough or those staying in hospitals, asylum centres, or domestic violence shelters.

The April figures come after the Government’s rental reforms on six-year tenancies came into effect in March.

Paul Sheehan, director of campaigns and communications at Cork Simon, described the monthly figures as “not surprising, but still very stark”.

“For the past two years now, we’ve seen a very steep increase in the number of men, women, and children who are being pushed into homelessness, and that doesn’t seem to be abating at all,” he said.

“In Cork city, the numbers have broken through the 800 mark for the first time, and equally as grim is what’s happening in the southwest, and again, over two years we have seen that steep increase in the numbers being pushed into homelessness.” 

Mr Sheehan said lack of supply and affordability were twin causes of homelessness and neither showed any sign of improving, with single adults particularly vulnerable.

“If you’re a single adult stuck in emergency accommodation, you’re on the bottom rung when it comes to priority for getting out. If you’re a renter, you’re probably living in fear of getting a notice to quit. Your chances of finding somewhere affordable are very, very slim,” he said.

Pat Dennigan, chief executive of Focus Ireland, said that while the Government had said they had anticipated an increase in eviction notices following changes to rental rules, “the problem is that they have done absolutely nothing to help the thousands of people now facing eviction.

“The scale of evictions and the misery it will create is truly shocking, with more than 7,000 notices issued in the first three months of the year.

“This points to the intense and growing pressure facing renters and underlines the strain on the housing system created by over a decade of failed housing policies,” he said.