The Dublin Simon Community (DSC) has said it helped more than 1,500 people sleeping rough or homeless in the capital last year.
Its annual report, In the Eye of the Crisis, published on Thursday, noted a 25 per cent increase in demand for its rough-sleeper street outreach team compared with 2023, rising to 8,382 interactions.
Need was “soaring”, the charity said, and the Government’s forthcoming housing plan must combine “emergency measures with sustainable housing and healthcare solutions”.
Last year the DSC outreach team interacted with 1,722 unique individuals, it said, 36 per cent more than in 2023.
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A total of 814 people received medical and residential treatment in the charity’s detox and recovery services and more than 350,000 meals were served to those using its services.
“This past year brought rising levels of demand and increasing complexity of needs across the region,” the report said.
“The number of people living in emergency accommodation across Dublin increased by 9 per cent compared to 2023. However, these figures do not capture the full picture. They are constrained by capacity and by narrow measures, rather than showing the depth of need. We are in the eye of the crisis – and that is why investing in solutions is so urgent.”
It said that over the last four years, its emergency accommodation capacity had increased by 35 per cent to meet demand.
“Our street outreach team engaged with 36 per cent more people in 2024 than the year before, ensuring that those sleeping rough were met with immediate support, compassion and pathways into stable accommodation and tailored support.”
On an average night, the DSC accommodated more than 1,250 men, women and children across its emergency, treatment and housing services. It has continued to invest in housing stock and has funded the construction of 14 one-bedroom apartments at Arbour Hill.
