Number of people now homeless hits another dismal record: 10,805

The number of people who are homeless in the State and relying on emergency accommodation has increased to a record 10,805, including more than 3,000 children.

Latest Department of Housing figures show there has been a 237-person increase in the number of people who were homeless last month. The number of people being counted as homeless has increased from a previous record high of 10,568 in July.

The figures for the month of August show there are 1,483 families relying on emergency accommodation, with 3,220 children.

The vast majority of homeless adults are in Dublin, accounting for 5,326 of the 7,585 adults in the latest figures. Slightly more than two thirds of homeless adults are men.

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Homeless numbers fell significantly below the 10,000 watermark during the Covid-19 pandemic, in part due to a temporary ban on rental evictions, which Opposition politicians and housing charities have called to be reinstated.

Wayne Stanley, head of policy at Simon Communities of Ireland, said the new record level of homelessness is “devastating”.

The rates of the Housing Assistance Payment (Hap) for homeless families, to help pay rent in the private market, must be increased, he said.

“We need to look at every opportunity and the Government needs to take Covid-19 crisis type actions if we are to reduce the homelessness numbers,” he added. “The trajectory of the homelessness crisis heading into the winter months is deeply concerning.”

Focus Ireland chief executive Pat Dennigan said it is “unforgivable” that the budget this week had “failed to offer a single measure” to help prevent people falling into homelessness.

“As the numbers keep going up, there is a risk that Government comes to treat homelessness as inevitable. But it is the result of bad political choices and can be solved by the right policies,” he said.

Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin called for the Government to introduce an emergency ban on evictions for the coming winter period.

“With social housing targets not being met and more single-property landlords leaving the market, we are fast approaching an official homeless figure of 11,000,” he said.

A department spokesman said the increase in homelessness was a “serious concern” for the Government, which had allocated funding of more than €215 million for homeless services in Budget 2023, a 10 per cent increase. “Indicators are positive and show the Housing for All plan is taking root and supply is increasing,” he said.

A range of measures on housing were announced in the budget, including a new €500 tax credit for 400,000 renters who do not receive any other State housing supports, an extension of the Help to Buy scheme at current rates until the end of 2024 and a new vacant property tax.

Minister has ‘failed’

However, Mr Ó Broin said Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien had “failed to get any increase in social housing targets included in Budget 2023 nor funding for any new initiative to prevent homelessness”.

Head of the Dublin Simon Community Sam McGuinness said the charity is “exasperated” by the continued increase in the numbers who are in emergency accommodation.

“This news comes at a time when single homelessness is at an all-time high and exits from homelessness are at an all-time low as the availability of rental properties, as a social housing supply, continues to dwindle,” he said.

Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian O’Callaghan said child homelessness had increased by 47 per cent in the last year. The Dublin Bay North TD criticised the lack of any emergency plan from the Government to tackle the crisis.

“There are reports from around the country that emergency accommodation is full, with people being turned away. As a result, there will be a rise in people sleeping on the streets, in tents and in cars this winter,” he said.

Senator Rebecca Moynihan, Labour Party spokeswoman for housing, said there had been an “abject failure” to control rising rents and to provide sufficient levels of affordable housing.

Speaking about the housing crisis this week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin urged people to “be careful” about objecting to proposed housing developments as it is taking too long for building projects to get off the ground. “We need to build more houses. We need to get more building done as fast as we can,” he said.