Cost of living means many are living in ‘mental anguish’, says Cork Simon CEO 

While rough sleepers and homeless people are on the sharpest end of Ireland’s housing crisis, the cost of living means many more people are living in “mental anguish”, the CEO of Cork Simon has said.

Speaking at the launch of the charity’s annual impact report this week, Dermot Kavanagh said that poverty is currently the greatest driver of homelessness, and the cost-of-living crisis means that many people are living in poverty.

“People who are sleeping on the streets and who find themselves with nowhere to go during daytime, without doubt, that’s the sharpest end,” he said.

“But imagine the mental anguish of feeling at risk of homelessness all the time, knowing that you can’t afford the ESB bill, not knowing whether you’re going to pay your rent, and there are thousands upon thousands of people in that situation, and it’s getting worse.”

He added that those living in private rented accommodation with housing assistance payment (HAP) support had not seen a HAP rate rise since 2016, even though the Consumer Price Index shows inflation has increased 28.8% since then.

Mr Kavanagh noted that the number of people leaving homelessness has remained relatively static in recent years.

In 2024, 201 single households and 137 families in Cork left homelessness, while 190 single households and 142 families left homelessness last year.

Mr Kavanagh said this was a particularly concerning trend, adding: “With the number of people who are becoming homeless rising, we have to increase the number of exits, or we’re going nowhere.”