Homelessness in Cork is rising eight times faster than in Dublin

Homelessness in Cork is rising nearly eight times faster than in Dublin, and Cork Simon said this week that the latest figures are particularly worrying as temperatures are due to fall below zero.

The latest data shows that there were 851 adults in emergency accommodation in Cork during the final week of September, the same number as in August, which was a record high.

The latest figures from the Department of Housing show a year-on-year increase of 26% on the figures for the same period last year – September 2025 – when there were 675 adults in emergency accommodation in Cork.

In the south west region, covering Cork and Kerry, there were 145 families in emergency accommodation, including 100 single parents and 273 children.

There were 927 adults in emergency accommodation across the south west in total, including 698 single adults, who consistently make up the largest cohort.

The total figure comprises 577 men and 350 women.

The south west had the second-highest number of people homeless, second only to Dublin.

While Dublin consistently has the highest level of homelessness, it increased by just 3.3% from 8,065 in September 2025 to 8,331 in September this year. However, Cork’s increase was almost eight times higher.

Paul Sheehan, communications director with Cork Simon, said one welcome element of the figures was that the number of homeless people in Cork had not risen in September.

“But 851 adults are now depending on emergency accommodation, which is 176 more than this time last year – an increase of 26% – and many have been waiting a long time for a home,” he said.

“That is the clearer picture of homelessness in the city. As temperatures fall towards zero, everyone sleeping rough in Cork deserves a warm, safe place to stay, tonight and for the months ahead.” Nationally, there were 12,168 adults in emergency accommodation during the same week, an increase of 113 on August’s figure of 12,055.

The national adult figure increased by 7%, from 11,376 in September 2025, meaning the rate of increase in Cork was almost four times the national rate.

The latest homelessness figures are usually published a month in arrears, at the end of each month, but the Department of Housing did not publish its monthly data on Friday, October 30, due to the public sector pay dispute.

The figures were instead published just after 7pm last Friday evening.

The government’s report shows that 188 'Housing First' tenancies to help people leave homelessness were created in the south-west between 2022 and 2026.