Homeless figures reach record high for second month running

Muireann Duffy

There were 10,805 people living in emergency accommodation in August according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing.

Of the total figure, 3,220 were children and 7,585 were adults, almost two thirds of whom were men (64 per cent).

During the last week of August, 1,483 families were noted as requiring emergency accommodation.

The overwhelming majority of homeless adults were recorded in Dublin (5,326), followed by the South-west region (covering Cork and Kerry) and the Mid-east region (covering Kildare, Meath and Wicklow) which had 574 and 401 people in emergency accommodation.

People aged 25-44 represented the largest cohort in the figures at 54 per cent. There were 1,274 (17 per cent) people living in emergency accommodation aged 18-24, 2m069 (27 per cent) aged 45-64, and 164 (2 per cent) aged 65 or over.

The majority of adults who required emergency accommodation during the final week of August were housed in private emergency accommodation (PEA), which includes hotels and B&Bs. Of these 4,444 people, 3,287 were in Dublin.

Supported temporary accommodation (STA) facilities, which include family hubs and hostels which have onsite professional help, housed 3,208 adults that same week, while temporary emergency accommodation (TEA) where there is no/minimal support took in 131 people, the majority of whom were in the Midlands (Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath).

The figures also revealed that Irish citizens made up 63 per cent of the adults who required emergency accommodation during the period, while 21 per cent were EEA/UK citizens, and 16 per cent were non-EEA.

"Seeing a new record level of recorded homelessness with little hope that the situation will improve is devastating. 10,805 men, women and children in emergency accommodation is a shocking figure," the Simon Communities of Ireland's head of policy and communication Wayne Stanley said.

"The trajectory of the homelessness crisis heading into the winter months is deeply concerning. Solutions are needed now.

"Vacancy must be made a priority for increasing our housing stock.

"We need to look at every opportunity and the Government need to take Covid-19 crisis type actions if we are to reduce the homelessness numbers," he added.