The number of homeless people in the State has risen to a new record high for a third consecutive month, with 10,975 people relying on emergency accommodation last month, official figures show.
Latest figures from the Department of Housing, published on Friday, show there was a 170-person increase in the number of people accessing emergency accommodation in September.
The number of people being counted as homeless has increased from a previous record high of 10,805 in August.
There were 7,633 adults and 1,532 families accessing emergency accommodation in the month, including 3,342 children, according to the department.
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The number of children has increased 3.8 per cent month-on-month, while the number of homeless young people, or those aged 18 to 24, has increased by 27.7 per cent over the past year.
The department also published a quarterly report on homelessness, which found the number of new families entering emergency accommodation increased in the third quarter when compared to quarter two by 2.7 per cent, from 402 to 413.
There was a 7.6 per cent increase in the number of families presenting to homeless services in the third quarter of the year when compared to quarter two, from 654 to 704.
Chief executive of Focus Ireland Pat Dennigan said the true number of homeless people is “in fact considerably higher” due to emergency accommodation now being at capacity.
“Unlike many European countries even at the height of the homeless crisis over the last 10 years, Ireland managed to avoid families sleeping in tents or their cars, now this grim prospect is a reality,” he said.
“More social and affordable housing is the long-term solution but in the short term we immediately need more emergency accommodation as homeless services such as Focus Ireland’s frontline team are being stretched to their maximum capacity. The prospect is looking increasingly grim this winter unless there is an urgent response to avoid more trauma for families across the country.”
Head of policy and communication at the Simon Communities of Ireland, Wayne Stanley, said the latest figures have to be seen as a “call to action” to get ahead of the crisis while the eviction moratorium is in place.
“The moratorium will provide the breathing room needed for the State to find solutions. We need to get ahead of the crisis while also ensuring commitments made in public housing are delivered,” he said.
“There are opportunities to address the homelessness crisis, but they need to be pursued with a singular focus and ambition.”
David Carroll, chief executive of Depaul homeless charity, said there is a need to encourage landlords who are contemplating leaving the market to approach local authorities first.
“Local Authorities have a key role to play in delivering on housing stock and must be equipped to manage any stock that comes this way from this source,” he said.
“We are appealing to landlords who are exiting the market to contact their local authorities to offer the properties for sale and that the tenants in situ can remain.”
Speaking about the figures, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien the current situation is “very challenging”.
“The Government, local authorities and those in our NGO sectors are making every effort to reduce homelessness. Resources and funding are not an obstacle to the urgent efforts required,” he said.
The Minister said funding of over €215 million was provided in the budget for the delivery of homeless services.
He added that the Government has taken a number of steps to tackle the issue including the introduction of legislation which puts a moratorium on “no fault” tenancy terminations over the winter period.
