A record 13,179 people are registered as homeless in the state, 159 of them in the North West.
Department of Housing figures show it also includes a record number of children growing up in hotels and B&Bs.
The North West saw 130 adults in emergency accommodation in the last week of October, 56 of them in Donegal.
In addition, there were 13 families homeless in the North West region, with 20 adults and 29 children.
Never before has the Department of Housing reported more than 13,000 people living in emergency accommodation.
The total for October is 15 percent higher than the figure a year ago.
3,991 children are growing up in B&Bs and hotels – with homeless charity Focus Ireland describing it as a “disgrace”.
In Dublin – the issue is most acute – where there are 9,713 people registered as homeless – including more than 3,000 children.
The figure from the Department of Housing doesn’t include rough sleepers, women in refuge centres, asylum seekers or refugees, or the so-called hidden homeless.
The North West Simon Community says there’s been a 13.5% increase in homelessness year on year since October 2022, while the number of people homeless is currently 85% higher in the North West than in in September 2021 when “Housing for All” the Government’s strategy to end the homelessness and housing crisis, was published.
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Simon Press Release in full –
PRESS RELEASE: 13179 HOMELESS IN IRELAND AS WE HEAD TOWARD CHRISTMAS
The number of people officially homeless in Ireland has reached another record high, with 13,179 people in local authority-managed accommodation at the end of October 2023, with 3991 children, and 9188 Adults facing the prospect of being homeless at Christmas. This figure represents a 55% increase in homelessness since the Government published “Housing for All” the housing strategy that aims to end homelessness by 2030.
Noel Daly CEO of North West Simon Community was commenting on the publication of the latest Government figures on homelessness, which show that emergency accommodation was provided to 159 individuals in Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo during the week of 23 to 29 October 2023. The people homeless in the North West region include 110 single adults and 13 families comprised of 20 adults and 29 children.
Noel Daly points out that the “Monthly Homeless Reports published by the Government relate only to individuals and families provided with emergency accommodation by the Local Authorities. They do not include households frequently described as the “hidden homeless”. People and families sleeping rough, living in cars and tents, sofa surfing, escaping domestic violence in refuges, sharing with parents, family, and friends, and/or living in houses unfit for habitation, and those who did not apply or were refused emergency accommodation. A recent report from Maynooth University entitled “Ireland’s Hidden Homelessness Crisis” estimated that the number of individuals in situations of homelessness (rooflessness and houseless) in Ireland is almost double the current number presented in monthly statistics.
The number of people in emergency accommodation in the North West remained steady on a month on month basis, but there has been a 13.5% increase in homelessness year on year since October 2022. The number of people homeless is currently 85% higher in the North West than in in September 2021 when “Housing for All” the Government’s strategy to end the homelessness and housing crisis, was published.
North West Simon Community believes it is better to provide early intervention services that seek to prevent people from entering emergency accommodation and avoid the trauma of homelessness. Homelessness in Ireland is measured by counting the number of people in Emergency Accommodation, and funding for homeless services flows from the decision of Local Authorities that a household needs such support.
North West Simon Community quietly and discretely visit people at risk of homelessness throughout the region and relies heavily on public donations to provide these specialist services and the organisation is currently appealing for funds to continue our vital work. People can view this appeal and support our work by following the link below.
https://www.northwestsimon.ie/north-west-simon-urgent-christmas-appeal-2023/
