Homelessness has reached another record, with 16,766 people using emergency accommodation last month.
The Department of Housing’s final homelessness figures before Christmas show that 11,492 adults and 5,274 children accessed emergency accommodation in October, reports RTE.
This represents an increase of 152 compared to September, when 16,614 people used emergency accommodation.
The number of homeless children has risen by 36 since September, reports RTE.
Over the 12 months since October 2024, the data shows an increase of 1,800 people (12%) in emergency accommodation.
Department of Housing statistics show that 6,873 were men, a 9.6% (603) increase year-on-year, reports RTE.
Some 4,619 were women, marking a 14% (568) rise, while 5,274 were children, showing a 13.5% (629) increase over the same period.
A total of 267 people were over 65, representing a 17.6% (40) increase year-on-year, reports RTE.
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin described the figures as the “highest level of adult and child homelessness in modern history,”
Speaking at Leinster House, Mr Ó Broin said there has been an “increase in every category of homelessness,” reports RTE.
He noted the figures follow the RTB publishing statistics showing a “significant” 35% rise in termination notices issued by landlords.
“Not only is homelessness at a record high,” said Mr Ó Broin. “It is going to continue to rise month after month unless the Government takes emergency action,” reports RTE.
He urged Minister for Housing James Browne to impose a six-month emergency ban on evictions.
“We need the Government to realise the folly of their recent housing plan,” said Mr Ó Broin, reports RTE.
“Unless James Browne, Micheál Martin and Simon Harris want to see the highest levels of homelessness on Christmas Day, they need to move quickly to introduce an emergency ban on evictions,” he said.
Mr Ó Broin also raised concerns about vulnerable groups.
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This follows a report from the National Women’s Council linking the housing crisis to violence against women, reports RTE.
“In many cases, women are forced to remain in the home with an abusive partner,” he said.
Mr Ó Broin stressed that “people who are most vulnerable” are at risk of homelessness, reports RTE.
“But when you start to have almost 17,000 people and 6,000 children in emergency accommodation, it shows you that this is a much wider issue,” he added.
Focus Ireland described the record number of homeless children this Christmas as “heartbreaking,”
Its CEO Pat Dennigan highlighted that for many children, this will be their second or even third Christmas in emergency accommodation, reports RTE.
Mr Dennigan said homeless children are “having their childhoods stolen one day at a time.”
“This is wrong and we can, and must, end this human crisis,” he said, reports RTE.
Depaul described the situation as being “at an inflection point,”
CEO David Carroll said the Government’s ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities’ plan is a major opportunity to address both housing supply and the homelessness crisis in Ireland, reports RTE.
“We are now keen to see specific targets for reduction, as evidence of this ambition and to guide delivery of this,” he said.
While homeless charities welcomed the Government’s housing strategy announced earlier this month, they stressed that success will be measured by results, reports RTE.
Simon Communities of Ireland Executive Director Ber Grogan warned that homelessness will continue to rise in 2026 unless urgent action is taken.
She also noted that this Christmas an additional 629 children will face “the harsh reality of homelessness” compared with last year, reports RTE.
“While children and families remain deeply affected, single adults are often the forgotten group and unfortunately they remain largely absent from the newly launched housing plan,” she said.
Dublin Simon said that although the new housing plan outlines how the Government intends to tackle the crisis, the final homelessness report of the year shows the problem continues to worsen, reports RTE.
It said the 16,766 people in emergency accommodation demand immediate action.
In terms of citizenship of those in emergency accommodation last month, 50% were Irish, 29.8% were non-EEA, and 20% were UK/EEA citizens, reports RTE.
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